NOTTING HILL NOVEMBER 2014

ABSOLUTELY NOTTING HILL

NOVEMBER 2014 / £3.95

THE BEAR FACTS

A STAR-STUDDED PADDINGTON

TALK SHOW

NINA CONTI ON VOICES AND VENTRILOQUISM

THOMAS CROFT

AT HOME WITH THE ARCHITECT

Red hot WARM UP WITH AUTUMN'S FAVOURITE PRIMARY SHADE STYLISH / INTELLIGENT / ELEGANT NH_KEN_NOV_COVERS.indd 2

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facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Portland Road, Holland Park, W11

A beautifully presented, charming family house with the potential to extend, (subject to obtaining the necessary consent), with the benefit of a wonderful, secluded, 37ft west facing garden.

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ÂŁ2,950,000 Freehold

1,620 sq ft (150.5 sq m) Entrance hall | Drawing Room | Kitchen/ dining room | Three bedrooms | Bathroom | Cloakroom | Cellar | Garden | EPC rating: E

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111 Nottinghill@struttandparker.com

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Princedale Road, Holland Park, W11

A beautifully presented three bedroom family house, with the benefit of two floors of excellent entertaining space and a charming east facing garden.

ÂŁ2,400,000 Freehold

1,567 sqft (145.6 sq m) Entrance hall | Drawing room | Kitchen | Dining room | Three bedrooms | Two bath/ shower rooms | Cloakroom | Two vaults | Garden | EPC rating: E

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111 Nottinghill@struttandparker.com

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Nove mbe r 2014

97

118 EDITOR’S LETTER ABSOLUTELY LOVES

st yle 38 FASHION NOTES 43 JEWELLERY

18

c u lt u r e WHAT'S ON

21

ON THE AGENDA

9 14

10 things we're coveting this month

Diary dates for November Ridley Scott's new documentary on Annabel's, plus win copies of Hattie Edmonds' W11 novel

22 VOICE OF AN ANGEL

Meeting Nina Conti, everybody's favourite ventriloquist

32 LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR

Absolutely meets the cast of this month's new cinema sensation

Penelope Chilvers; Acne; Moschino and more Going for gold this November

44 SEEING RED

Absolutely the only colour to be seen in this season

52 HELL FOR LEATHER

Spotlight on South Kensington's most luxurious stationers, Noble Macmillan

55 MOODBOARD

Tattoo artist David Kafri's inspirations

interiors 73 BURN OUT

Everybody loves a woodburner.

Here are some of the best

76 PILLOW TALK

Words of wisdom from Kensington-based cushion designer Alexandra D Foster

80 THOMAS CROFT Cover images lickerish

The architect invites Absolutely into his reconfigured W2 mews house

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44 91

k i d s & e d u c at i o n SCHOOL TALK This summer's marking debacle

93 CLIMBING THE WALLS

Absolutely braves the rockface in W10

food & drink 99 EATING OUT

We are raving about W9's Truscott Arms

102 KITCHEN ORCHARD

Three special recipes from Natalia Conroy

PROPERTY 148 PROPERTY NEWS

News and views on the area

NOVEMBER 2014

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N U -L I N E K I T C H E N

S T U D I O

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N u -L i ne Ki t c h e n S tu d io : 12- 14 Malto n rd L o n d o n W10 5U P 0 2 0 8206 5170 w w w.nu - lin e.n et

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EDITOR’S

letter

F

or me, meeting Nina Conti was the highlight of this month's schedule. Ever since I first saw her and Monkey with Medium Rare at the Tabernacle a few years ago, I've been a fan. Ventriloquism seemed like an unlikely speciality for someone young, female and glamorous, but she has entirely reinvented the art. The talking puppet routine may be dismissed as a tired old act, or just as plain weird, even sinister, but Conti has reclaimed it by highlighting the weirdness and revelling in its dark side.

She's got a lot of charisma on stage and she's very lovely in real life too. She also reveals, excitingly, that Medium Rare, the variety show founded by Notting Hill-based Mat Whitley over 10 years ago, might be returning for a Christmas show, so watch this space to find out more. But in the meantime, her dvd is out this month – read more about it on page 22. We're also focusing on live cabaret, which comes from La Soiree's return to London this month, with jugglers, hula hoopers and the inimitable Ursula Martinez – read all about that on p26.

This issue also includes a sneak peak at this month's new cinema release, the first ever live action film of west London's favourite bear, Paddington, which stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Julie Walters. That's set to be a huge Christmas hit – and now that we've mentioned the C-word, we're starting to think about parties and frocks, gifts and winter warmers, all of which can be found in these pages. Our magazine is growing steadily bigger, you may have noticed, and we hope you are enjoying it. u

Pendle Harte Editor

Email: pendle@zest-media.com Twitter: @Absolutely_mags Facebook: AbsolutelyMagazines

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NOVEMBER 2014

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EDITOR PENDLE HARTE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ELIZABETH HUTTON EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS PEARL BOYD, AMANDA CONSTANCE, CATHERINE HALES CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR ARABELLA PRESTON SENIOR ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER ROCHELLE STREATER TRAINEE ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER ABIGAIL CRAMP CENTRAL PROPERTY MANAGER LEAH DAY PROPERTY EDITORS HUGO HUNTER, LUCIE PEARCE ART DIRECTOR RAY SEARLE SENIOR DESIGNER PAWEL KUBA PRODUCTION MANAGER STEWART HYDE MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER TAHIR KAPUCU PROPERTY EDITORIAL DESIGNER ANDREW MAVIN DESIGNER EKREM YILMAZ JUNIOR DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN COPY CONTROLLER CHRISTINE MANN FINANCE DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA HVID DIRECTORS GREG HUGHES, ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT PA TO DIRECTORS MARIANNE MCFADDEN For editorial enquiries please email: pendle@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com Subscriptions are available simply by emailing marianne@zest-media.com You can receive an online subscription for FREE or a postal subscription at £30 for 12 months (to cover postage and packaging). Please email us with your preferred option and details.

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Fo l l ow Us O n T wi t t e r @ABSOLUTELY_MAGS Fa c e b o o k ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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10 Things We

ABSOLUTELY

LOUNGE ABOUT

Royal College of Art graduate Pia Wustenberg's stylish glass lights can be hung from the ceiling or placed on the floor. The beautiful blown glass shapes are impressive and bold.

POA; utopiaandutility.eu

BLACK AND GOLD

The Biba label is owned by House of Fraser, which has launched a new collection in celebration of 50 years of Biba. There's a black collection, a gold collection and a stylish range of homeware too. houseoff raser.co.uk

READ ABOUT IT

Tom Dixon's tools for the bookworm include the quill bookmark, the magnifying glass bookmark and the postcard, all made from digitally etched brass. tomdixon.net

PRAWN COCKTAIL

Alex Monroe's quirky pieces are perennially popular, nut none is quirkier than this shrimp, designed for the Goring Hotel, ÂŁ195. alexmonroe.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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ABSOLUTELY / LOVES

BOLD BALMAIN

Addictive and heady, this Balmain fragrance is a brilliantly golden version of the original eau de parfum. £79 for 90ml; selfridges.com

LEG IT

CREATURE COMFORTS

Falke's fabulous collection of legwear includes the most marvellous patterned tights, as well as cosy merino ones for chilly days. And best of all, the fit is always perfect. falke.com

Designed by Sanna Annukka for Marimekko, the Kukkuluuruu pattern has been inspired by the wise forest animals of Finnish folk tales. skandium.com

CRYSTAL CLEAR

Hurricane Crystal is a hand-cut hurricane lamp, handmade using 100% Bohemian Crystal. The design plays on the vintage design and formality of cut crystal as we know it. £995; jaquet-droz.com

IS THAT THE TIME?

RING ME

Tory Burch's new range of classic, graphic and colourful watches is inspired by vintage jewellery, art and travel. With each piece named for a member of her family, this is the Izzie. £395; toryburch.co.uk

With a sculptural, geometric approach, Koppmann’s jewellery is modern in design but traditional in technique - each beautiful piece is handmade in his OXO Tower showroom. POA; josefkoppmann.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

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www.roseandwillard.com

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> WHAT'S ON

p. 18

INTERVIEW: NINA CONTI

p. 22

PADDINGTON - THE MOVIE

p. 32

A VICTORIAN OBSESSION From 14 November, Leighton House Museum will be home to rarely seen masterpieces of Victorian art belonging to the Mexican collector Juan Antonio P茅rez Sim贸n, shown for the first time in the UK. To March 2015; 12 Holland Park Road W14

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NOVEMBER 2014

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3D PRINT IT

© FINN STONE (B.1972, UK) 'BACON' (2014)

©DAVID BROOK 2014

Un ti l 4 Ja n u a r y S c i e nc e M u s e u m rinting is the future and this exhibition proves it. With 600 3D P prints on show, the exhibition includes the groundbreaking mechanical hand replacement 'Robohand', aeroplane parts and space probes as well as an awe inspiring nylon printed scuplure of St. Pauls Cathedral. ◆ Exhibition Road, SW7; sciencemuseum.org.uk

AIR-HEAD

APART WINTER EXHIBITION 2014

7 - 9 No v e m b e r B u s p a c e S tu di o s hotographer David Brook has worked in 29 countires worldwide and is P fascinated by air travel. When in the UK, he lives in Notting Hill and has shot for luxury brands such as Asprey and Krug. This exhibition will form a coffee book in 2015. ◆ Middle Row, W10 5AP; davidbrook.co.uk

Un til 18th D ecember Apa rt Pop - up

Bringing together a dozen artists from around the world, this annual exhibition, curated by the founder of Notting Hill gallery Apart, includes playful pop art masterpieces by English, French, Argentinian, Japanese and American artists.

The exhibition will take place in the heart of Kensington for the first time so is not to be missed.

176 Kensington High Street, W8 ap-art.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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WINTER WONDERLAND

2 1 No v e m b e r t o 4 Ja n u ra r y Hy de Pa rk inter Wonderland is back at Hyde Park with, among other things, the W UK's largest outdoor ice rink, a sub-zero magical ice kingdom with ice fairies, Snow Queens and dragons living in a frozen forrest and an ice bar where you can drink a warming shot of vodka from an icy chalice. ◆ Hyde Park, W2; hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

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ARTS & CULTURE / WHAT'S ON

GOLDFRAPP 18 No v e m b e r Ro y a l Al b e r t Ha ll clectic electronic duo Goldfrapp is back at the E Royal Albert Hall this November with a one-off show that will see Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory perform their sixth studio album Tales of Us to the sound of the 20-piece London Contemporary Orchestra and choir. Fine dining and box hospitality are available so sit back and listen to the intimate, meaningful narrative of this incredible album. ◆ Kensington Gore, SW7 royalalberthall.com

GRAPHICS: 50 YEARS

EVENT OF THE MONTH

TURNER PRIZE 2014

5 Nov e mb e r - 2 2 D e ce m b e r R o y a l C o ll e ge o f Ar t

©CIARA PHILLIPS, THINGS SHARED 2014

Throughout Novemb er Tate B ritain he Turner Prize hits the big three-zero this year. Widely T recognised as one of the most influential awards for the visual arts in Europe, past prize winners include Martin Creed and Damien Hirst.

2014's winner will be announced on 1 December, so choose your own favourite from the shortlisted artists: Duncan Campbell, Ciara Phillips (right), James Richards and Tris Vonna-Michell. ◆ Milbank SW1; tate.org.uk

The RCA's first exhibition of graphic design took place in 1963. Now, 51 years later, the school has delved into their archives and curated this fascinating exhibition of original, rarely seen pieces of alumni art.

Tracing the development of the school we see how rapidly graphics have evolved with the digital age.

Kensington Gore, SW7 graphics50.rca.ac.uk

PLAY OF THE MONTH 4 - 29 November; The Print Room at the Coronet

SOLOMON AND MARION solated and alone in a South Africa that is so transformed from the one of her childhood, Marion’s once full and happy life is now unrecognisable and empty. That is until the grandson of her former servant enters her life. Bringing hope into her world, Solomon says he wants to take care of her and, with the country bracing itself for the inevitable protests and T

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unrest that will follow the 2010 World Cup finals, his timing is perfect. Too perfect perhaps. Written and directed by Laura Foot, the CEO and Artistic Director of Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town, we question Solomon’s motives as he and Marion's relationship evolves. u 103 Notting Hill Gate, W11; 020 3642 6606 the-print-room.org

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:17

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C U LT U R E r o u n d u p

ARTS & CULTURE / CALENDAR

THE AGENDA

Our selection of the months' cultural highlights Wo r d s P E A R L B OY D

SARTORIAL SECRETS

e read about clothes all the time. But it's always about what we should wear and what other people are wearing – and never about why people wear what they wear or how they feel about why they wear what they wear. Women in Clothes is different – part collective memory, part field study, it’s a book about how women relate to the world through clothes and how wardrobes reflect and influence lives and memories. Contributions from over 600 women shed light on how our garments affect us, making up a quirky and humorous look at identity and aesthetics. u £24, Particular Books; womeninclothes.com

W

PRINCESS MICHAEL OF KENT AT ANNABEL'S, 1980

Party people WIN TICKETS!

irst-time novelist Hattie Edmonds' new book Cinema Lumiere makes up a big window display at Notting Hill Gate's Waterstones. Set in and around W11, it's the story of what happens to Hannah Bailey when she stumbles across a tiny one-seated cinema and its mysterious French owner Victor Lever. Absolutely has two double tickets for the Lexi cinema - along with five copies of Cinema Lumiere to give away to lucky readers.

For your chance to win, send answers to the following question by email to pendle@ zest-media.com before 14 November. What is the name of the Parisian cinema that lies just above the Montmartre vineyards? u hattieholdenedmonds.com

F

Ridle y S c ot t d ocument s Ann abel's

W

hen Ridley Scott approached seminal Berkley Square nighclub Annabel's with the idea of creating a short filmlast year, he was immediately awarded free reign. Executive producer Scott and director Greg Fey were given unprecedented access to the archives documenting the club's colourful history, from the celebrity A- list and captains of industry who have attended over the years, to the staff who served them. It is still the

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only club that The Queen has ever been to. The film includes the likes of Anna Wintour, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Lady Gaga who all appear and comment on camera describing their experiences in the club as well as commentary from long standing staff members and socialites. The film is going to be shown in Curzon cinemas throughout November. u To find out more about the private member screenings, call Annabel's on 020 7629 1096; annabels.co.uk

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Monkey

MAGIC

Subversive ventriloquist Nina Conti reveals the tricks of her trade to Absolutely Wo r d s p e n d l e h a r t e

T

here are so many assumptions made about comedians. That they’re insecure, needy, powercrazed, neurotically driven to make jokes all the time – or just not at all funny in real life. That they might be hiding behind their funnier selves or just addicted to showing off. Many of these things are subjects of Nina Conti’s jokes – though in real life she’s probably none of these things. However much she insists that she’s ‘not a natural clown’ and even ‘not the funny one at home,’ she just is funny, in a warm and insightful way.

Nina Conti’s not a regular comedian, though – she’s an actor-turned-ventriloquist and her recent show Dolly Mixtures, which toured the UK to enormous success, comes out on DVD this month. She's instantly likeable and chatty, with a friendly, open face, even when faced with a gruelling schedule of interviews. We meet first thing in the morning at the Universal offices and even when our conversation is interrupted by a fire drill, she's cheery.

So why ventriloquism? On the face of it it’s an unlikely art – archaic, maledominated, a bit geeky. ‘I know! At the beginning I really shuddered, thinking it’s creepy and never funny and I just didn’t like it.’ It all started with Ken Campbell, the eccentric and hugely respected theatre maverick who was Conti’s mentor and one day presented her out of the blue with a ‘teach yourself ventriloquism kit’.

‘He’d come back from Kentucky where they had a convention of ventriloquists – he was so thrilled by this and was at the time writing a show for the National Theatre.

He began to apply his very brilliant intelligence to this very peculiar art and he decided he was going to bring it back to England. At first I thought: Ken, please don’t make me do this, but soon I began to trust him because he had insight.

And then I started to feel like it was a completely underrated and underused art.’ She was a character actress at the time. ‘I love to put in false teeth and play character and be funny, but to it was never my wish to be me and do standup. So ventriliquism really is the perfect

I’M HORRIFIED

AND surprised by the position I’VE PUT MYSELF IN. The whole thing is TEETERING ON the verge of HYSTERIA FOR MEW

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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ARTS & CULTURE / PROFILE

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:53

Complimentary Make-Up Sesh* Simply quote the code 'PartyPeople' when booking a hair cut. *applies to the first 10 bookings only, between Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm.

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ARTS & CULTURE / PROFILE outlet for the other stuff. I still feel like it’s got legs and can go anywhere.’

How does one actually learn the skills? Is there such a thing as a natural ventriloquist or could anybody get the hang of it? ‘There are certainly unnatural ones – the rigor mortis one, which never looks to me like someone else is talking.

There are six letters that need replacing, the ones that you need to bring your lips together for – m, p etc, so you have to replace those with other letters that you can form at the back of your mouth.

You can read that in 10 minutes on the internet and after that it’s about making your face relax. The first time I tried, it was very much like rubbing the tummy and patting the head. Maybe 12 hours of practice later I had something.’

Conti is best known for her monkey character, which, she says, of all the puppets, is the one that’s most like her.

It’s an outspoken, sweary alter-ego in the form of a small monkey with a guttural, gruff voice and a tendency to complain about Nina’s controlling nature. One of many impressive things about Conti is her ability not only to switch accents but to do it without moving her mouth.

‘I am actually more versatile without moving my mouth, I have more accents,’ she claims. Other puppets include the Scottish granny and the posh pitbull terrier, Killer, as well as the larger-thanlife Eastern European builder, Stefan.

‘They were all people in my life at the time I was writing the show,’ she says, laughing. ‘I keep worrying that Stefan might say something on Twitter.’

The show relies on lots of audience participation as Conti and Monkey throw questions at victims – ‘What do you do?

Why?’ – and members of the audience end up on stage, wearing masks and becoming puppets. Aren’t people too afraid to go and see it in case they get picked? ‘I know! It really surprises me

genuine, as if she’s surprised by her own self. Is she really laughing? ‘Yes! I’m horrified and surprised by the position I’ve put myself in because I’m not a natural clown to stand up and be outlandish. So the whole thing is teetering on the brink of hysteria for me.’

Does she worry that it’s just not going to work? ‘I always worry. But once you’re in the water’s warm, it’s just the build up.’

Conti’s trick is to break the rules of ventriloquism straight off. ‘What’s that on your face?’ asks Monkey. ‘It’s a microphone,’ says Nina. ‘Why haven’t I got one?’ demands Monkey. One of the puppets shouts: ‘We’re all you, Nina.’

The whole meta-ventriloquism thing

PUPPETS INCLUDE the Scottish granny AND THE POSH PITBULL TERRIER as well as a LARGERTHAN-LIFE Eastern

European builder

that I’ve ended up doing this because I’ve always been frightened of audience participation – both doing it and being picked – so I’m trying to do it with all the warmth I can muster and really make people realise that it’s going to be fun and they don’t need to do anything.

It’s up to me to make it work. People do start to unfurl in the masks. They realise that if they do something it gets a big laugh and usually they start to do a bit more and it’s actually quite fun for some people.’ Part of Conti’s persona is to giggle nervously, laughing at her puppet’s (her own) jokes. It seems

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leaves the question of who is Nina and why is she a ventriloquist hanging over the entire act, as if it’s all a complex form of psychotherapy. Was this a starting point or did it develop? ‘I wasn’t initially subversive, though I did start swearing a lot immediately. Most adults do it – if they’re going to make a teddy say something they get crude; a lot of people will default to rude, it’s an easy gag. And you’re removed from responsibility.’

Going on stage with no puppet is harder, though it’s something she’s working on.

Conti lives not far from where she grew up in north London with her husband and two sons, aged 10 and 3. What do they think of her job? ‘The little one thinks that it’s completely normal and he likes monkey. Monkey has to come home and on the plane he’s in my hand luggage.

He wants me to get him out on the plane and I do... and monkey’s talking and I hope nobody’s looking. The boys think the puppet’s funny but I’m not the funny one in the house – my husband is the true clown.’ u Dolly Mixtures by Nina Conti is released this month on DVD

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velvet-draped salon of carved wood, polished mirrors, crystal and leadlight on the South Bank will play host to La Soiree this month. Now 10 years old, La Soiree returns to London for the first time since 2011 with a heady cocktail of cabaret, new burlesque, circus sideshow and contemporary variety that’s more potent than ever this year as organisers introduce some of the newest members to their ever-expanding and truly international family. So prepare to be amazed, astonished and aroused by the very crème de la crème of the cabaret world, as Notting Hill gears up for a rumoured reappearance from the Medium Rare crew, our own homegrown variety act. In the meantime, here's La Soiree.

LIFE IS A

CABARET

Fans of Nina Conti will love La Soiree, the seminal troupe that spans burlesque, circus and variety. Here’s a preview Wo r d s p e a r l b oy d

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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URSULA MARTINEZ ailing from Spain via Croydon, Ursula Martinez H is a renowned writer, actress and cabaret performer. Her cult striptease act with its mischievous disappearing hanky is a jaw-dropping sensation. From highbrow to lowbrow and from live art to loquacious party tricks, Martinez treads where few performers dare to go, with the audience right there along for the ride. Expect to emerge from her act with a rudimentary knowledge of bawdy Spanish and a surprising awareness of anatomy.

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ARTS & CULTURE / CABARET JESS LOVE his whirlwind of energy is Australian dynamo, Jess T Love. A veteran of Circus Oz, The Candy Butchers and The Burlesque Hour she has an array of traditional skills to her name but a very unorthodox approach to using them.

She’s a sassy physical comedienne with a cute-as-a-button demeanor, who nevertheless tips a cheeky wink to the twisted soul of burlesque. Succumb to the quirky charms of this doe-eyed charmer, and in a flash of fizzing rope, she will have stolen your heart and left you swooning.

JONATHAN BURNS orn with the gifts of flexibility, curiosity, and goofiness, B Jonathan Burns always thought he was a special child - the kid who would put his leg over his head in gym class, get the dance party started at any wedding, or perform musical armpit farts to impress the girls.

With such a wealth of skills, it was only fair that he share his geeky brand of comic genius and physical prowess with audiences worldwide. In fits of giggles, La Soirée is thrilled to welcome this anatomically incorrect, flexible comedian to the London fold. He’ll be sure to have you in stitches.

SAULO & ANNA t is with pulses racing that we proudly introduce Saulo I & Anna, the world’s one and only flying pole duo.

Smoldering Spaniard Saulo Sarmiento won the Cirque du Soleil Special Prize for innovation and originality for his astonishing act on the aerial pole – an awe-inspiring piece of kit we’re pretty sure you’ve never seen before. Throw into the mix the ethereal beauty and spellbinding skill of Finland’s Anna De Carvalho and we can guarantee that sparks will fly as the two soar through the air in a bittersweet aerial duet.

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:36

M E L I S S A

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ARTS & CULTURE / CABARET

DAVID AND FOFO ew to the La Soirée family are David & Fofo! These two N Swedes will amaze with their inspiring performances which feature ping-pong balls, juggling, acrobatics and trapeze work. Their sometimes odd, always high-energy works is an unmissable new addition to this year’s line-up.

THE ENGLISH GENTS eralding from Australia, Denis Lock and Hamish H McCann are two delightfully devilish and cordial “English” gentlemen who perform inconceivable feats of acrobatic skill, strength and balance, whilst casually puffing a pipe, reading the newspaper and sporting the stiffest of British upper lips. The act mixes their highly skilled feats with a dry English wit, unexpectedly climaxing with the two hilariously baring near-all for Queen and country and in the process displaying more sex appeal than ever before seen under a bowler hat.

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SCOTTY THE BLUE BUNNY he spandex-clad spectacle Scotty sings, fiddles, twirls, T performs magic and busts really big balloons with his butt. There’s nothing he can’t do in a bunny suit, a philosophy that’s meant he’s got much farther in life being blue.

Scotty will also be making his debut with La Soirée in London.

● L a S oirée’s Spiegeltent

at Southbank Centre’s Winter Festival ; Tickets from £15; 5 November – 11 January 2015

NOVEMBER 2014

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ARTS & CULTURE / SOCIAL

DOROTHEE SCHUMACHER edbury Road's outpost of German fashion label Dorothee Schumacher held a fabulous fashion morning, showcasing the beautiful new collection. Guests mingled with models and enjoyed fresh smoothies and energy balls from Bobos Juicery before leaving with stylish Schumacher goodie bags. u dorothee-schumacher.com

L

Party people Our reporters track the season’s hottest parties

BELSTAFF BY GOODWOOD acey Contemporary art gallery in Clarendon Cross was officially launched by Brenda Emmanus, BBC London News Art, Culture and Entertainment Correspondent, and the Grand Opening included a dazzling site-mapping installation by Rupert Newman. Guests included chairman of the Chelsea Arts Club Mark Wood, artist Merlin Ramos and curator Charlotte Meddings, as well as painter Geoff Diego Litherland. u Photography by Andrew Murley laceycontemporarygallery.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

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CINEMA

The bear necessities This month’s star-studded Paddington is set in and around Notting Hill.

Absolutely meets the cast Wo r d s P e n d l e H a r t e

L

ast year The Independent broke the news that 50 years worth of tourists had been misled. Hoards of people chasing the truth behind the story of everybody’s favourite bear from Peru had been making the pilgrimage to 32 Windsor Gardens in vain, it transpired, after revelations from author Michael Bond’s daughter Karen Jankel. Bad enough that fans were anyway routinely disappointed on discovering at their destination a council block near the Harrow Road instead of the imposing Victorian building in the popular illlustrations by RW Alley – but the official announcement made clear that the destination had been entirely fictitious all the time. So anyone using the illustrations as a source and following their clues – the number 7 bus, Portobello market – had been on a wild goose (bear?) chase all this time. There was no Windsor Gardens. It was made up, just like the rest of the story. Bond and his family lived in W11’s Arundel Gardens and his parents lived in Reading’s Winser Drive and from that the story-writer added his license.

But still, Paddington remains a west London icon and this month’s long-awaited and star-studded feature film release confirms that. Paddington Bear, named as everybody knows for Paddington Station, is taken in by the lovely Brown family of Windsor Gardens, which is plainly shown in the film to be a W11 crescent. It’s the first ever live action Paddington film and producer

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ARTS & CULTURE / FILM

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:42

NAIL IT THIS AUTUMN

This month we are offering you a FREE file and polish (hands or feet) using the NEW breakthrough range from CND Vinylux when you spend £35 or more.

with this new revelotionary range of colours from CND VINYLUX

Why we recommend VINYLUX CND POLISH? 2 Steps for a faster service Fully Dry in minutes 76 Colors inspired by the runways Free from Formaldehyde, Toluene or DBP

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ARTS & CULTURE / FILM

David Heyman – of Harry Potter fame – and the computer generated bear marks a significant departure from the paper cut-out animations by Michael Horden for television in the 1970s. Scenes include an unforgettable skateboarding sequence where the bear rolls down Portobello Road from Alices’ antiques before being pulled along Westbourne Grove behind a number 27 bus. Not only does the cast include Julie Walters, Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins, but it also features Nicole Kidman as an evil taxidermist (and two as yet unannounced but reportedly iconic English actors as the voices of Paddington’s Great Aunt Lucy). The bear himself is voiced by Ben Whishaw and Michael Bond himself even has a Hitchcock moment.

SCENES INCLUDE

an unforgettable

SKATEBOARDING sequence where THE BEAR rolls down PORTOBELLO ROAD The cast is without exception enthusiastic when quizzed on the subject of the film and its lead character.

Bonneville, who plays Mr Brown, has fond memories of Paddington. ‘It was one of the first books I remember reading.

I was enchanted by his adventures and remember wanting to go and see the sights of London. When I first received the script I was wary because I didn’t want my childhood memories messed with but by the end of the first page I was laughing out loud. Getting involved was a no-brainer.’ How does he explain Paddington’s enduring appeal? ‘He always resets the dial to a default position of optimism.’ Sally Hawkins, who plays Mrs Brown, unusually has no childhood memories of Paddington – this despite growing up in London. But she says: ‘It’s a universal story – we’ve all felt alone, without friends or family like Paddington does. He’s a refugee who’s taken in and

35 NH_Nov_Padington.indd 35

we can all relate to that, the feeling of not knowing where to put yourself.

He’s trying to fit in and his English is very good but his table manners aren’t.’

Julie Walters, who plays Mrs Bird, the Browns’ housekeeper and ‘distant relative’ says: ‘Paddington is an innocent.

He’s funny, sweet and truthful, always making innocent mistakes and being forgiven.’ And the story – is it an action

film? Bonneville’s not giving much away.

‘There’s plenty of action. Obviously with a taxidermist involved you can see where the story’s heading.’ You’ll have to wait until 28 November to find out more. u Paddington directed by Paul King is released on 28 November

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> FASHION NOTES

p. 38

JEWELLERY

p. 43

SEEING RED

p. 44

LONG JUMP Launched on Portobello market and a permanent favourite at London Fashion Weekend, Ducie is a luxe label with fans including Cressida Bonas, Natalie Imbruglia and Poppy Delevigne. Her silk jumpsuit is a favourite – we love the green python print version, featuring side pockets, a Peter Pan collar and zip details. £225, ducie.co.uk

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:55

boutique f o c u s

PENELOPE CHILVERS Queen of the boot

Fall into fashion with Acne, Dear Frances and Penelope Chilvers – or channel Barbie if you dare

Wo r d s e v e h e r b e r t

Wo r d s P E n d l e h a r t e

enelope Chilvers has been making boots since 2005, P when she launched her hand-made business at home in Notting Hill. Originally a painter with an obsession with Spain, she discovered the Spanish riding boot and embarked on a mission to bring it to the UK. Unearthing a small number of traditional artisans in the hills of Spain and commissioning them to make the perfect equestrian boot to her own specifications, she immediately sold over 100 pairs to The Cross boutique and quickly became a sought-after brand. Her first style, the Long Tassel Boot, is still a firm staple in her collection and was famously worn by Kate Middleton, Duchess Of Cambridge.

Now with shops in Ledbury Road and Duke Street, the riding boot remains a staple but the collection has expanded to include the popular bespoke slipper as well as a range of boots in all styles and colours, all with a solid, handmade feel and a hard-wearing sole.

There's also a selection of sneakers and espedrilles, men's and children's collections as well as a fabulous range of luggage, bags and belts. Go Penelope.u

Fall Shades Acne

●penelope chilvers 48-50 Ledbury Road, W11 penelopechilvers.com

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For Fall 2014 Acne's collection spans shades of russet, brown and ochre as well as lots of blue; and shapes are voluminous and asymmetrical. The extra-long sleeve is longer than ever, and we are coveting these henna-bonded straight-legged trousers, £490; acnestudios.com

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FASHION / NOTES

IT'S A BARBIE WORLD Moschino

In true Moschino style, the quirky label has launched a life-sized Barbie collection. Think pink, with unsubtle details and extreme footwear, as well as mirror-themed phone cases and lots of pink leather. It's not for the faint-hearted. moschino.com

TOP AutuMnal accessories

WELSH BLANKET Colenimo

Wrap up in this Welsh blanket of a poncho-style coat, handwoven in Wales with gorgeous batwing sleeves and a removeable quilted lining.

It's literally the cosiest coat in the world. £485. couvertureandthegarbstore.com

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SATIN YOUR LAP Lilah

The Lilah Calcutta scarf is hand-made from satin using a technique call clamp dyeing, which involves making folds in then fabric and then using a carved wooden shape as a resist.

It comes in pink, purple or navy, £99, lilah.co.uk

04 05

editor’s

PICK

06

FLAT WHITE Dear Frances

A flat white brogue is one of the most perennially stylish pieces of footwear and the new collection from Dear Frances is all about monochrome, urban styles. See the collection at Wolf and Badger or online at dearfrances.com

39 NH_NOV_Fashion_Notes.indd 39

07

1. AUSTIQUE, iPad Case, £40; austique.co.uk 2. VICTORIA BECKHAM, Leather Shoulder Bag, £495; net-a-porter.com 3. BRORA, Felt Trilby in Forest, £69; brora.co.uk 4. HOBBS, Rosie Cat Belt, Navy, £39; johnlewis.com 5. ASPINAL OF LONDON, Ladies Fur Cuffed Leather Gloves, £125; aspinaloflondon.com 6. SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, Silk Gancini Logo Scarf, £219; harrods.com 7. TD TOM DAVIES, 07453 Gold Leaf Sunglasses, £395; tdtomdavies.com

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:51

WARDROBE / FASHION BRORA

Cashmere Fair Isle V-Neck Cardigan, £329; brora.co.uk

ANYA HINDMARCH

Bathurst Shoulder Bag, £850; anyahindmarch.com

DRIES VAN NOTEN

Rozene Eco Fur Coat, £865; brownsfashion.com

ROLAND MOURET

Tipula Stretch-Jacquard and Striped Crepe Dress, £1,450; net-a-porter.com

MISSONI

THAKOON ADDITION

Beaded Scallop Top, £799; harrods.com

Blue and Black Printed Silk Shirt, £345; harveynichols.com

VALENTINO

Silk Batwing Gown, £2,180; brownsfashion.com

GUCCI

Leather LeggingsStyle Pants, £1,150; net-a-porter.com

JULIEN DAVID

Gingham-Patterned Cotton-Blend Shirt, £315; net-a-porter.com

GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI

Coline Embellished Suede Sandals, £1,440; harrods.com © LOUIS VUITTON AW14

MUTED MOOD KARL LAGERFELD

Elin Black Neoprene Skirt, £280; harveynichols.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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LOVE MOSCHINO

Lace Trim Coat, £499; harrods.com

Greens, browns and creams colour this month TOD’S

Leather Ankle Boots, £455; store.tods.com

ARMANI JEANS

Logo Buckle Leopard Print Belt, £115; harrods.com

40 20/10/2014 17:01

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22/09/2014 10:05

ABSOLUTELY LONDON

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LONDON

THE BEAR FACTS

A STAR-STUDDED PADDINGTON

TALK SHOW

NINA CONTI ON VOICES AND VENTRILOQUISM

THOMAS CROFT

AT HOME WITH THE ARCHITECT

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ABSOLUTELY / JEWELLERY

Autumn Sunrise Get up and gold this November

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6

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1. ASPREY, ACORN CHARM WITH PAVÉ DIAMONDS, SET IN 18CT YELLOW GOLD, £2,900; asprey.com 2. BOODLES, MAZE ROSE GOLD DIAMOND DROP EARRINGS, 18CT ROSE GOLD AND DIAMONDS, £5,500; boodles.com 3. TIFFANY & CO., TIFFANY T WIRE BRACELET IN 18CT GOLD, £1,225; tiffany.co.uk 4. GRAFF, 2.31CT INTERNALLY FLAWLESS OVAL CUT DIAMOND FLAME RING, SET WITH A PINK PAVÉ DIAMOND BAND, POA; graffdiamonds.com 5. CHOPARD, EARRINGS FROM THE IMPERIALE COLLECTION IN 18CT ROSE GOLD ENCIRCLING A FACETTED AMETHYST AND SET WITH DIAMONDS, £ 4,740; chopard.com 6. THEO FENNELL, GOLD WHIP 18CT YELLOW GOLD DISC PENDANT, £3,200; theofennell.com 7. GARRARD, WINGS CLASSIC CUFF IN 18CT ROSE GOLD WITH BRILLIANT-CUT WHITE DIAMONDS, POA; garrard.com 8. BULGARI, B.ZERO1 HOOP EARRINGS IN 18CT PINK GOLD AND STEEL, £1,940; en.bulgari.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:20

Red Silk Cropped Top, £560, and matching Long Fishtail Skirt, £1,250, Sophia Kah Leather Shoes, £139, Underground

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20/10/2014 17:02

See

RED You may be out on the town or staying in, but wherever you are, there’s only one colour to wear and it’s this…

Photography Helen McArdle Styling Charlie Moore

B&C_Nov_FashionShoot 2.indd 45

20/10/2014 17:02

Burgundy and Pink Printed Wool Top, £650, and matching Skirt, £595, Issa Leather Gloves, £295,Corlette London

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20/10/2014 17:03

Mohair Coat, £1,600, Marni

Bow bikini top, £49, by Princesse Tam Tam; princessetamtam.co.uk Crochet pencil skirt, £399,

by Sea Ny at my-wardrobe.com Cream coat, £175,

by Pepe Jeans; pepejeans.com

B&C_Nov_FashionShoot 2.indd 47

20/10/2014 17:03

Burgundy Dress Coat with Cropped Sleeves, £785, Pavane at Fenwick Leather and Stone Embellished Fingerless Gloves, £99, Karl Lagerfeld

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20/10/2014 17:04

Cashmere Roll-neck Sweater, ÂŁ325, Issa

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20/10/2014 17:05

Tomato Red Top (with 3/4 Sleeves), £540, Marni Fishtail Scuba Skirt, £500, Pinghe

Photographer – Helen McArdle Stylist – Charlie Moore Model – Xin Jie at d1 models Hair and Make-up – Fabio at Frank Agency using Chanel Christmas 2014 and Chanel Body Excellence and Ojon STOCKISTS issalondon.com corlette.co.uk Karl Lagerfeld – 020 7439 8454 Marni – 020 7245 9520 bypinghe.com sophiakah.co.uk underground-england.co.uk fenwick.co.uk With thanks to The Coastguard pub and restaurant, St Margaret's Bay, Kent

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People of

NOTE Absolutely celebrates the rebirth of stationery in South Kensington Wo r d s p e n d l e h a r t e

South Kensington’s Noble Macmillan is one of these brands. They call themselves a ‘non-brand’ operating in an industry alongside giants such as Smythson and Hermes. This hidden store with a loyal following among the town and country set has been quietly making photo albums since the 1980s, when it was a car repair garage supplying stylish leather ledgers to clients as a sideline. The leather trade expanded to include photo frames and albums until eventually it replaced the car business, and now they are the go-to people for beautiful and classic leather-bound photo albums, which are currently having an antitechnology revival in certain circles.

There’s a trend for sending small and beautiful leather albums full of glossy pictures to commemorate parties or weddings or weekends away – a reaction against carelessly pressing send on

W

ho needs paper?

The technology revolution that sees people putting dates in their iCal, storing pictures on their iPads, sending emails and keeping notes on memory sticks has made many industries redundant. Among them stationers, with their archaic diaries, writing paper, photo albums and notebooks.

Though there are some survivors. The market for photo albums and diaries may have shrunk significantly, but it hasn’t gone. These days it is led by a ring of super-stationers, companies making exclusive and beautiful products using insanely lavish leathers and labourintensive old-fashioned bookbinding methods. These aren’t essentials; they’re fashion items and gifts.

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52 20/10/2014 18:05

FASHION / PROFILE a round-robin email with ephemeral digital pictures attached. It’s certainly more special, and special is the key to stationery’s success.

It’s a similar story for the diary.

While the very young have probably never used a paper diary and the very old would never switch to technology, swathes of people in between might not bother with a nondescript book, but when a diary comes in the form of a leather-bound, candy-coloured, tactile volume, they’re happy to add it to their inventories.

Meanwhile, the market for guest books in big houses has never really gone away. A beautiful visitors’ book is a pleasure to sign, while people who like to keep records of their dinner parties, menus, guests and seating plans, like to keep them in stylish volumes for posterity. Noble Macmillan’s owner Tom Fleming has a background in

Leather jewellery roll £105

Luxury poker set, £499 Mezzo diary, £49

Zipped travel organiser, £99

Chelsea Square leather photo album, £195

Original large photo album, £230

CLASSIC LEATHERBOUND photo albums are currently HAVING AN ANTI-TECHNOLOGY revival IN CERTAIN CIRCLES

foreign exchange trading and he bought the business seven years ago, when it was a flagging wholesale business, supplying John Lewis with social books and leather goods. ‘We thought we could make it into a boutique. We’d invested in Smythson so we understood luxury,’ he says. ‘We then tried to grow aggressively, positioning ourselves as being as good as Smythson and Hermes but cheaper.’ Designer Dessy Tsolova (formerly of Smythson) is responsible for shifting the focus away from the classic navy blue and gold and introducing a new, more feminine palette (including the current diary favourite, tangerine) and creating a new range of bags and purses. ‘We’re about understated quality and Britishness,’ says Fleming. ‘And we see ourselves as guardians of memories. All the big family moments can be recorded in our photo albums, baby books and social books.’ And for an extra special, gift, everything can be personalized on the spot. ‘You can arrive at a dinner party bearing a gift that looks like you’ve really thought about it, even when you’ve just picked it up on the way.’ Who said stationery was dead? u

Large visitors'book, £139

Classic travel wallet, £250

noblemacmillan.com

53 NH_Nov_ STATIONERY.indd 53

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:05

Wig Confidence by Trendco • One of the UK’s largest wig & hairpiece suppliers • Prices to suit all budgets • Over 250 styles, from Fibre hair to Human Hair

• Leading specialists in Bespoke pieces • NHS Prescriptions accepted.

• Private rooms available

We have moved!

Trendco London has now relocated from Kensington Church Street to 64 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 5SH. To celebrate our move to our new premises, we would like to offer Absolutely readers 20% off all wigs and hairpieces on presentation of this advert. Offer valid till 31st January 2015. For more information or to request a brochure pack, please contact our salon 020 7221 2646 or email London@trendco.co.uk www.trendco.co.uk

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20/10/2014 15:09

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Not valid with any other offer or to under 16s.

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20/10/2014 11:59

21/10/2014 10:28

HOMES & INTERIORS / MOODBOARD

MY STYLE

David Kafri,, Tattoo Artist at Love Hate Social Club, Blenheim Crescent W11 MY FAVOURITE DESIGNER

is Mulo – I am especially excited about my collaboration with them.

I have designed a range of shoes for Spring Summer 15. I really wanted to make a shoe that looked like it had been tattooed and was cool and beautiful from every angle.

MY FAVORITE PIECE OF ART is Auto Portrait by Rembrandt, 1661. His brush strokes and techniques are incredible and he had such a genius hand.

MY FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION

is Tel Aviv. It's my home town; I like to go back to visit three times a year. With beautiful weather, delicious food and great night life, it's so much fun.

MY FAVOURITE TATTOO ARTIST is Filip Leu – he is a

true pioneer, a genius and a great man. I’m in the process of having my whole body tattooed by him.

MY MOST TREASURED POSSESSION

MY YOUR STYLE ICON

is Johnny Depp – he has a great sense of style, rock and roll with a bit of gypsy thrown in. I like the nomad look, kind of a bit rough and messy.

is my passport: it gives me the freedom to visit the people that I love and to find inspiration in places such as India, Spain, France, Israel and Switzerland.

MY FAVORITE TATTOOS

are the tattoos on the palms of my hands. They are hearts incorporated with peace signs and sacred blessing symbols, done by the great, Xed le Head in London three years ago.

lovehatesocialclub.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:40

TENPILATES.indd 2

22/09/2014 10:08

> BEAUTY NOTES

p. 58

THE MAKE-UP INSIDER

p. 61

FITNESS NOTES p. 64

FACE LACE Face Lace is a non-fade, non-smudge range of ready-to-wear make up designs that will instantly turn you into an It Girl. Devised by make-up artist Phyllis Cohen, famed for her intricate designs and staggeringly bold fashion feats, these designes are certain to impress. face-lace.com

57 NH_Nov_Beauty_Opener.indd 57

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:30

SA LO N R e v i e w

NAILBERRY French polish in SW7 Wo r d s P e a r l b oy d

Chanel's new lip colour, heavenly scents and professional advice on barE-faced beauty

ailberry's small salon in the heartland of French London, N Bute Street, is white and girly.

Its French owner Sonia Hully is a former City broker with an entrepreneurial nature. The idea behind Nailberry was to combine French je ne sais quoi with New York efficiency and the salon opened in 2008. With its own range of cruelty-free and formaldehyde free nail polishes in almost 50 shades and an extensive menu of treatments, Nailberry is guaranteed to leave your nails in tip top condition.

I opt for the Nailberry Manicure, which promises a soak, cut, file, cuticle removal, exfoliation, mosturiser and massage plus of course the polish. It's an hour-long softening treatment that leaves my hands baby soft and my nails tidy and elegant; and after much deliberation I choose Fashionista, an autumnal plum-coloured polish that turns out to match many of my clothes.

But what colours to choose for the imminent party season? Sonia is the authority. “For parties vibrant colours are great. I choose mine with the outfit. But Rouge and Noirberry match everything.

I like to add some glitter – our Diamonds Forever nail lacquer is great by itself but can also be used on the top of any nail colour to make it glittery and sparkle. This winter, metallics are big and my favourite is Storm, a deep blue black with very very small blue glitter in it. It really is a stunning, subtle colour and again easy to match.” So now we know. u

W o r d s r o m y va n d e n b r o e k e

Lip Talk Chanel

Adding to their ever-growing make up essentials, Chanel have launched a new range of lip colours, Rouge Allure Gloss. The colour is as vibrant as a lipstick but has a sheen keeping lips moisturised and full. £26; chanel.com

● N A I L B E R RY 19 Bute Street, SW7, 020 7225 3116; nailberry.co.uk

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HEALTH & BEAUTY / NOTES editor’s

PICK

3

NAILED IT christian louboutin

of the best

Fashion icon Christian Louboutin's beauty debut is this suitably dramatic Rouge Louboutin nail colour.

Christian Louboutin Beauté, Nail Colour, Rouge Louboutin, £36; christianlouboutin.com

B AT H O I L S

RED HOT clarins

Been looking for the perfect red lipstick to complete your autumnal look? Clarins new Red Fuchsia lipstick from their Rouge Eclat collection is not only the perfect hue, its Nutri-Youth Complex keeps lips young and full. £19.50, clarins.com

AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES, Support

Equilibrium bath oil, £40; aromatherapyassociates.com

COCO NUTS Jax Coco

Yes Coconut Oil is all the rage in kitchens but it can also be used as a beauty product. Jax Coco’s recently launched EVCCO Oil, when applied to hair and skin, acts as a natural moisturizer, with high levels of lauric acid to promote healing and cleansing. That’s why we’re totally nuts for it. £10 for a 400g jar; store.jaxcoco.com

ILA, Bath Oil for Glowing Radiance, £51, ila-spa.com

Otto Bath Oil, £30; renskincare.com

IN BLOOM DAHLIA DIVIN givenchy

The must-have scent for autumn, Dahlia Divin from Givenchy is a refined concoction of Mirabelle plum, white flowers and jasmine with subtle tones of vetiver, sandalwood and patchiouli within. 50ml, £64; givenchybeauty.com

59 B&C_Nov_Beauty_Notes.indd 59

REN, Moroccan Rose

Indulge yourself with these floral treats 03

01

02 01. RED ROSES COLOGNE £82; jomalone.co.uk 02. ROSE OTTO BODY BALM £25; balanceme.co.uk 03. MARY KATRANTZOU FOR RODIAL CANDLE, £35; rodial.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:18

THIS AUTUMN Turn over a new leaf for just ÂŁ35 per month Join Us today for unlimited access to our 88 station gym, functional fitness studio, 70 group classes and more.

Fitness Club

Sports Centre

3-5 Thorpe Close, London W10 5XL

1 Crowthorne Road, London W10 6RP

0208 962 5753

sports.fitness@westway.org

westway.indd 2

0208 969 0992

westway.org

22/09/2014 10:13

HEALTH & BEAUTY / MAKE-UP INSIDER

TOPSHOP

Brow Pencil, £6, topshop.com

HD

Eye and Brow Palette, £25, hdbrows.com

HD

Lash and Brow Boost, £39.50, hdbrows.com

CHANTECAILLE

HIGH BROW

Full Brow Perfecting Gel, £75 uk.spacenk.com

The perfect brow is easy to achieve – if you follow these golden rules

EYLURE

Permanent Tint, £9.95, eylure.com

BURBERR

Effortless Eyebrow Definer, £22.50, burberry.com

Wo r d s A R A B E L L A P R E S T O N

W

e have reached Peak Brow. What with the Cara, the Chola and the Scouse. If anything has come out of the past few brow-obsessed years, however, it is that never again shall we overpluck. With so many new brow products and services on the market, it isn’t easy to know what to buy and do. So, here is my guide.

Firstly, never use an eyebrow ‘template’.

The old adage ‘eyebrows should be sisters, not twins’ is key. Look directly into a mirror and use your own judgement. Fill in, volumise and pluck, but deal with it, then step away - lazy moments with a pair of tweezers and a hand-held mirror are dangerous.

Secondly, professional threading is a quick and easy way to remove hairs. Most

threaders are talented at creating a wide, defined arch but whatever you do, do not let them trim the hairs. Eyebrows should not blunt. They won't like it but trust me.

Thirdly, don't neglect your brows, condition them. Yes, really. I love this Blink Brow oil, but often pop a little shea butter lip balm on to mine. For those who aren't blessed with bushy brows, try a boosting treatment balm like this HD one. Tip: it also works on eyelashes.

Lastly, pencils are the easiest way to fill-in and shape. Don't blindly draw in the whole brow - define from the top of the arch and use a gentle, flicking motion, to emulate the hairs themselves. Be very wary of pencilling-in too strongly. Using powder can give a more natural finish so I blend the colours in this HD palette to get the perfect shade and then press it into the brow using a slanted brush. Always conclude by brushing your brows up and out, using a clear gel if your hairs are too unruly. u

61 NH_Oct_Makeup_Insider.indd 61

HOURGLASS

Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil, £26, uk.spacenk.com

B BY BLINK

Brow Oil, £16, blinkbrowbar.com

B BY BLINK

Clear Gel, £15, blinkbrowbar.com

LAURA MERCIER Tweezers, £18.50, uk.spacenk.com

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:38

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17/10/2014 10:58

HEALTH & BEAUTY / VANITY CASE RÉVIVE,

Intensite Crème Lustre Night, £235; harrods.com

SISLEY,

Black Rose Precious Face Oil, £122.40; johnlewis.com

GUERLAIN,

Écrin 4 Couleurs, £39; harrods.com

SARAH CHAPMAN,

Overnight Facial, £45; sarahchapman.net

JO MALONE,

Wood Sage & Sea Salt Body Crème 175ml, £50; jomalone.com

COVER FX,

Blemish Treatment Concealer in N Medium, £20; harveynichols.com

NOURISH, Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser, £16.50; shop.nourishskinrange.com LANCÔME,

Visionnaire Serum Plus 50ml, £82; harveynichols.com

PERCY & REED,

DIOR

Diorshow Fusion Mono in Aventure, £24; dior.com

Invisible Dry Shampoo, £12; uk.spacenk.com

AUTUMNAL AURA

LAURA MERCIER,

Bronzing Pressed Powder, £26; lauramercier.com

Protect and pamper your natural glow

DR. ANDREW WEIL FOR ORIGINS,

Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum 100ml, £90; johnlewis.com

BY TERRY,

Touche Veloutee in Cream, £35; uk.spacenk.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:32

3

Fitness

CONFIDENTIAL Get in shape with the top fitness trends, tips and gear

of the best

wat e r wo r ko u t s

Wo r d s r o m y va n d e n b r o e k e

UNDERWATER CYCLING Moorgate

ot on the heels of the NYC-endorsed craze for cycling underwater comes London’s very own Aquallure.

High-intensity spinning with circuit training makes the most of the water’s resistance.

Need more convincing? Each class burns around 800 calories.

Classes take place at Dolphin Square Fitness Club, Chichester Street SW1; u aquallure.co.uk

H

OUTDOOR SWIMMING Serpentine

embers of the Serpentine Swimming Club are permitted by the Royal Parks to swim before 9.30 am and this organisation holds races at 8am on Saturdays throughout the year. But beware – wetsuits are deemed not part of the true spirit of year-round open-air swimming, so they are not permitted.

Hyde Park, W2; u serpentineswimming.co.uk

M

FLEX IT

STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING Regent's Canal

hought stand-up paddle boarding was reserved for hot climes? Think again.

T You’ll find SUPcity in the Paddington Basin, near the junction of Regent’s Canal and Grand Union Canal, championing SUP racing and SUP yoga in our own fair city. Wetsuits are provided… but most students don’t fall in.

Paddington Basin u active360.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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Lexie Sport

British athletic designer Lexie unites style and functionality with its effortless workout gear. From geometric leggings to metallic detailed shorts, Lexie is for the go-to brand for the fashion-conscious fitness lover. lexiesport.co.uk

64 20/10/2014 17:07

HEALTH & BEAUTY / NOTES WELL BALANCED Balanced App

NET -A -PORTER.COM

More than a mere fitness app, Balanced helps you create personalised checklists to keep yourself on top of health and fitness goals. If you are flailing, the app sends you gentle reminders to keep you driven. balancedapp.com

yo g a g e a r

editor’s

PICK WARM UP Nike

02

01

Don’t let the impending bad weather dampen your fitness regime, as Nike have just released their new Tech Butterfly Jacket to keep you warm outside. The oversized hood will keep out the wind whilst the cut of the jacket allows you to move. nike.com

PRIMAL PALEO BARS The Primal Kitchen

The paleo diet transcended its trend status and is now a dietary way of life. These bars from The Primal Kitchen are made from nuts, fruit and almond oil, making them gluten and additive-free. 18 bars for £27; theprimalkitchen.co.uk

03

04

HEADS UP Zound Industries

Perhaps more of a fashion accessory than anything, these stylish headphones from Zound Industries are perfect for pumping out tunes while you work out. Made from leather, they take you from the cross trainer to tube in style. zoundindustries.com

65 CH_Aug_H&F_Notes.indd 65

05 06

1. LIVE THE PROCESS, £150; net-a-porter.com 2. ADIDAS, £75; adidas.com 3. ADIDAS £18; adidas.com 4. ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY £POA; stellamccartney.com 5. NIKE, £55; nike.com 6. ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY, £60; net-a-porter.com

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:08

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX ABSOLUTELY / PROMOTION

LIGHT FANTASTIC It's time again for the Park Club's fabulous fireworks extravaganza

E

very year since 2000, The Park Club has organised an extraordinary fireworks display for its Park Club and Hogarth Health Club members.

Over the years, the event has grown and grown to include not only the most incredible fireworks, courtesy of Michael Lakin’s Starlight Company, but traditional bonfire, full bar facilities, family disco, George Irvine's Fun Fair, Richard Johnson’s British Street Food Village, amazing cars - courtesy of Porsche Centre West London and an array of the most incredible acts.

We’ve been joined by James Blunt, the FMX live tour motor cycle display team, dancing water fountains, dancing flame throwers and Conor Maynard (twice!).

And now to 2014.... If you live in West London and have friends at either The Park Club or The Hogarth Health Club, join them for another fabulous family night out.

Guest tickets are £15 adult and £5 child. VIP packages are also available for non-members; simply email dereks@theparkclub.co.uk. u

For further firework information, please visit the social section at theparkclub.co.uk where there’s also new information on STRICTLY CHARITY 2014.

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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66 20/10/2014 16:11

@hybridwellbeing

Hybrid Wellbeing | 020 8962 4019 | stcharles@hybridwellbeing.com

www.hybridwellbeing.com GYM OPENING TIMES:

Mon-Fri: 6.45am - 8.30pm / Sat-Sun: 10.00am - 2pm

HYBRID WELLBEING_01.indd 2

20/10/2014 14:48

Basement Design Construction and Complete Project Management

Swimming Pool • Wine Cellar • Family Room • Gymnasium • Guest Suite • Spa • Cinema • Kitchen

www.cranbrook.co.uk 0800 525 883 26 - 28 Hammersmith Grove W6 7BA London Free no obligation initial design survey, feasibility advice, quotation and 3D visualisation

CRANBROOK BASEMENTS.indd 2 Cranbrook-advert210mmx297mm.indd 1

08/10/2014 11:12 14:48 22/08/2014

> INTERIORS NOTES

p. 70

STOVE SPOTLIGHT

p. 73

AT HOME WITH ARCHITECT THOMAS CROFT

p. 80

PENDANT POWER To mark Poul Henningsen's 120th birthday, Louis Poulsen has launched the stylish new PH 3½-3 pendant, based on the designer's original drawings from the late 1920s and early 1930s. The pendant has metal shades, available in green, yellow, red and white. £632, skandium.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:18

10 of the best

London-inspired interiors 01

ELLA DORAN

Buses Tray for London Transport Museum, £29.99; ltmuseumshop.co.uk

Bring the city into your home and live the high life with Julien Macdonald on Decorex Wo r d s G e m m a B i l l i n g t o n

PLACE IN PRINT

Clapham North Station Limited Edition Print; £50; placeinprint.com 02 03

HINTONS HOME Legendary London Streets Limited Edition Print, £35; hintonshome.com

04

ANOTHER STUDIO

London City Clips, £6.75; another-studio.com 05

Starry Night Star by Julien Macdonald

HOME CANDY

Iconic London Wallpaper; £125 per roll; homecandy.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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Flamboyant Notting Hill-based fashion designer Julien Macdonald has turned his hand to homeware, designing the exclusive Star by Julien Macdonald range of decadent accessories for Debenhams.

Go all-out glam without breaking the bank.

Prices vary; debenhams.com

70 20/10/2014 17:16

HOMES & INTERIORS / NOTES 06

MUSEUM OF LONDON

Wooden Skyline Coat Hanger; £50 museumoflondonshop.co.uk

TO THE WIRE Ben Rousseau

New from innovative furniture and interior designer Ben Rousseau is the radiant new Moon light as pictured here. POA; benrousseau.com

07

LONDON KILLS ME

editor’s

Hand Printed London Landmark Slate Coasters, £24; rockettstgeorge.co.uk

PICK

DECO DELIGHTS Christiane Lemieux

DwellStudio founder Christiane Lemieux continues her collaboration with House of Fraser with the launch of a new range for AW14. The theme is a continuation of the Spring-Summer collection, which included citrus colours and Art Deco shapes. houseoffraser.co.uk

08

CATH KIDSTON

London Kitchen Clock, £35; cathkidston.com 09

MIRROR IMAGE Richard Brendon

The Reflect collection of handpainted cups and saucers, by Notting Hill-based British bone china specialist Richard Brendon, is a clever take on traditional china sets that's sure to liven up your afternoon tea. richardbrendon.com

YONI ALTER

London Poster; £8; shop.tate.org.uk

MARBLE MAGIC biblioteque

Biblioteque offers the very best in Italian porcelain and Marfil marbles.

Easy to install and low maintenance, these ethical designs come in a choice of matt or polished finish. biblioteque.co.uk

CATH KIDSTON

London Buses Stanley Mug, £6.50; cathkidston.com

10

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:16

Luxury European Furniture since 1962

London & M25 Showrooms 020 7760 7558

WHARFSIDE.indd 21 absolutely-ad9.indd

wharfside.co.uk 17/10/2014 12:25 16:45 01/10/2014

HOMES & INTERIORS / DETAILS

Play with

FIRE

Wood burners are just the ticket for these winter months. Here are our favourites

Th e O r l a n d stov e amping season may be over for 2014 but in the wonderful world C of garden glamping, winter is a whole new opportunity. What better party space than a canvas tent in your garden, lit with coloured lanterns and filled with cushions and blankets? Adapting to the season is simple with a wood burning stove – cut a hole in the canvas for a flute and go the whole hog with a super luxe Danish Orland stove. The first mobile stove with glass door and walls, it gives all the heat of

a stove with the beauty of a camp fire. You can even cook on it and make bread in a special oven accessory. For the ultimate in luxury glamping, whether in the wild or in the safety of your own back garden, a portable wood burner is just the thing. u Orland stoves are sold in the UK exclusively by belltent.co.uk. From £699. gardenglamping.com

Morso’s design classics nother Danish brand, Morso has been making cast iron woodA burning stoves for over 150 years and supplying them to the Danish royal family. The quintessential wood-burning stove has always been crafted from cast iron and they are timeless, traditional, efficient and cosy. In 2008, Morsø Jernstøberi began an exciting collaboration with one of Denmark’s most interesting artists, Monica Ritterband. The result was an epoch-making wood burning stove.

There are four versions of the wood burner, all with a soft, feminine form which could only be rendered in cast iron. As well as the stove, Monica has designed a unique and optimistic range of accessories called ‘Feet’. Made of cast iron, like the stove, the range includes a kettle, firewood holder, trivet and fireside tools. u

chesneys.co.uk

morso.co.uk

73 NH_Nov_STOVES.indd 73

C h e s n e y ’ s e co - h e ati n g urning wood efficiently is a carbon neutral process. Who B would have thought that burning wood produces no more carbon dioxide than would be released by a tree that is left to decay naturally? Wood burning stoves contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment and Chesney’s stoves are DEFRA exempt, meaning that they can be legally used even in London’s smoke control areas. A huge variety of styles is available at Chesney’s north Lonson showroom. u

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:06

MAIDA VALE

FROM KITCHEN, BATHROOM, BEDROOM AND LIVING SPACE DESIGN, WE OPEN UP IDEAS IN INTERIOR DESIGN VISIT US AT OUR MAIDA VALE SHOWROOM OR ONLINE AT DAYTRUE.COM

DAYTRUE.indd 2

22/09/2014 10:17

HOMES & INTERIORS / PRODUCTS PH 3½-3 PENDANT LAMP, by Louis Poulsen, £632; skandium.com

PK22 LOUNGE CHIAR IN WALNUT LEATHER, Republik of Fritz Hansen, £3,686; fritzhansen.com

therugcompany.com

VICTORIA’S SECRET,

Beach Hair Wave Spray, £7; victoriassecret.com

EASTERLY BLANKET

by Eleanor Pritchard, £320; eleanorpritchard.com

KAISER IDELL table lamp, £537; fritzhansen.com

PORCELAIN BAUHAUS LIGHT SWITCH, Berker Serie

1930, POA, ivoryegg.co.uk

WHITE BRICK CLOCK, Leff, £239; beut.co.uk

JUX COAT STAND,

£160; habitat.co.uk

MR CHAISE LONGUE,

BAUHAUS STYLE

JOOST SCHMIDT (1883-1948) STAATLICHES BAUHAUS AUSSTELLUNG

lithograph in colours, sold at Christies last year with an estimated sale price of £200,000

The ongoing influence of the German design collective

by Mies van der Rohe, from £7,152; aram.co.uk

NESTING TABLES

by Josef Albers, €1,595; markanto.de

BAUHAUS CHESS FIGURES, £450;

britishmusuemshoponline.org

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:19

ABSOLUTELY How did you get into designing luxury cushions?

ALEXANDRA FOSTER I worked at Liberty London for almost two years and re-launched their furnishing fabrics. The role ignited my own love for interior design. I became entrenched in the interior design world, and even studied interior design at KLC School of Design at Chelsea Harbour in London. The more I spoke to designers, the more I became aware that the hardest partof their job is oftentimes finding cushions for a project, and it was there that the idea was planted for Alexandra D. Foster cushions.

ABS What is the inspiration for each of the cushion designs?

AF I have been lucky enough to travel the world due to my travel blog Destinations Perfect. Some of the most inspiring destinations I have been to are the Amalfi Coast in Italy, St. Barth’s, Marrakech, Paris, Cyprus, Rome, London,Hong Kong and Tokyo). Each cushion is inspired by a particular place.

Pillow talk Absolutely catches up with Kensington’s luxury cushion designer Alexandra D Foster Wo r d s e v e h e r b e r t

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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ABS Describe a few ‘destination’ inspired cushions you’ve designed?

Each of my cushions is inspired by my travels and tells an individual story.

The Paris pillow is a photograph I took of a beautiful wrought iron gate in St. Germain on the Left Bank. The Roma cushion is a photograph of a doorknocker I captured across from the Parliament building in Rome. A handmade table with an intricate mother of pearl inlay design I saw on a recent rip to Morocco inspired the Marrakech design.

76 20/10/2014 16:39

HOMES & INTERIORS / PROFILE hand-making each pillow as if it were a work of art.

ABS How long does it take to craft a single cushion?

AF The silk is printed in panels at one of the most highly regarded mills in Lake Como. It is a mill that all of the biggest fashion houses and furnishing fabrics brands use as well, so the quality and feel is just stunning. The silk panels are then taken down the road to a small atelier where Italian seamstresses entirely hand sew the pillows adding the cotton lining, zipper, care labels and the hand braided trim from Bologna.

ABS Can you please describe your at-home style?

Understated opulence. I love glamour and attention to detail, so I most closely identify with the Hollywood Regency style of the 1930s where the emphasis at home was on wearing an elegant dress and enjoying cocktail hour, not television.

ABS Describe your personal design aesthetic, mission, and philosophy when it comes to cushions?

AF I believe that luxury, quality, and style are paramount. To this end, the handsewn nature of my pillows means that they are truly an artisanal product that takes many hours to create.

In such a fast-paced technological and machine driven age, it is nice to know that skilled master seamstresses in an atelier in Lake Como are meticulously

EACH OF MY

cushions tells an individual STORY

ABS What’s next? Do you have any plans to design other home decor items later down the line (such as furniture, or bedding)?

AF I certainly plan on expanding my collection and am juggling a few ideas right now. I would love to do silk scarves that you can wear or frame as art in your home. Many customers have used my pillow covers to adorn their walls at home. I am also considering beautiful silk caftans to be worn at the beach, or maybe even blankets/throws.

ABS And why is your logo an octopus?

AF I have always been in love with the sea and marine life; everything from coral to seashells, crashing waves and turquoise waters. While the actual symbolism of the octopus is vast and varied, I chose it because it is a totem of protection and good luck.

ABS What pieces can't you live without at home?

AF My cushions! They are in every single room of the house, and as each design is inspired by my travels, they serve as constant reminders and fond memories of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of exotic destinations and faraway places that I have visited.

ABS What should people splurge on for the home?

A weekly delivery of flowers for every room in the house would be a wonderfully extravagant splurge. u Alexandra D Foster’s cushions are stocked at Gotham, 17 Chepstow Corner W2; gothamnottinghill.com alexandradfoster.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:40

XXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXX

BOOK & KITCHEN An artisanal destination for the community, Book and Kitchen has quickly become a local hideaway. Enjoy the curated selection of books, homemade and organic food and drinks in the cafĂŠ, along with great gift items ranging from original artwork to artisanal crockery There's also a bustling calendar of events including the Notting Hill Unplugged live music sessions.

31 All Saints Road, W11 1HE; 020 3417 8266; bookandkitchen.com; nottinghillunplugged.com

SANTO Christmas parties at Santo start at ÂŁ30.

For specials menus talk directly to the chef, whose delicious dishes are made with love and Mexican charm. Inviting cocktails and Mexican dishes, alongside the sounds of salsa create warm and inviting atmosphere that guarantees that it'll be a good party.

299 Portobello Road, W10; 020 8968 4590; santolondres.com

AROUND

PORTOBELLO Visiting some of our favourite people and places in and around Portobello

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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SOPHIE HARLEY UK Jewellery Designer of the Year 2013, Sophie Harley, is celebrated for her exquisitely designed handmade jewellery using only precious metals and stones. Find something fabulous and unique this Christmas online or at her Westbourne Park studio. For an invite to herspecial late night Christmas shopping event email info@sophieharley.com or call 0207 430 2070 & receive a 10% discount voucher. sophieharley.com

78 20/10/2014 18:29

ABSOLUTELY XXXXXXXXX//PROMOTION XXXXXXXX

ILOVEGORGEOUS

COCO NAIL BAR

ilovegorgeous is an award winning girlswear brand, designing beautiful pieces for babies and girls from 0–13 years.

With a devoted fanbase and a high profile following, ilovegorgeous is the go-to brand for gorgeous girlswear. The full range of clothing, gifts and accessories for babies and girls is available online or in store.

52 Ledbury Road, W11 ilovegorgeous.co.uk

Professional Beauty's Nail Salon of the Year.

Visit Coco Nail Bar for the perfect spot of pampering! Cocktails, champagne and wine are available along with a weekend DJ to get you in the festive mood. For an out-of-theordinary Christmas party or the perfect gift, look no further than Coco Nail Bar. 267 Portobello Road, W11 1LR 020 7243 1113 coconailbar.com

BROOKE GREGSON Brooke Gregson is highly respected in the world of fine, contemporary jewellery for her original creations and unmistakeable use of colour and craftsmanship. Her Diamond Starlight rings captivate with their other-wordly facets using unique raw diamonds chosen for the outstanding beauty in depth of colour and character. Available to view by appointment at her Westbourne Park Road showroom.

73 Westbourne Park Road, W2 brookegregson.com

ZACHARY VALENTINE

GOLBORNE DELI

Zachary Valentine recently opened in Notting Hill with an eclectic array of products including glamorous chandeliers, candles, room diffusers, cushions, throws, Christmas decorations, mirrors, lanterns, soaps and gifts. The store was born out of a desire to create imaginative interiors – the group of resident interior stylists want to design a place that you can be proud of.

23 Kensington Park Road, W11; zacharyvalentine.co.uk

From the street, happy faces can be seen enjoying the delights of Golborne Deli. A stone's throw from Portobello Road, this independent is passionate about its coffee and food, prepared using only locally sourced ingredients. Serving AngloMediterranean dishes, sandwiches and breakfasts to die for, caffeine lovers can revel in the fact they're drinking coffee from sustainable farmers, while gluten avoiders can enjoy the full menu.

100 Golborne Road, W10 golbornedeli.com

SWANKYS Swanky’s Portobello Road and Chamberlayne Road sites are treasured by locals for their fun, friendly vibe and fantastic treatments.

Whether you’re popping in for your eyebrows or spending the afternoon pampering yourself from head to toe, you’ll emerge sprinkled with some Swanky stardust.

26 Chamberlayne Road, NW10 020 8964 2569; 335 Portobello Road, W10, 020 8969 7580

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:30

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX

AT HOME

Talent to a

MEWS Architect Thomas Croft has recently redesigned a former mews house in Bayswater, transforming it into a spacious home for him and his family.

Absolutely takes a look Interview Pendle Harte

ABSOLUTELY: You are known for your ability to blend the historic with the contemporary. How does this work in your own house?

THOMAS CROFT: That’s a very interesting & rather crucial question - in the office we did have discussions about whether or not we were treating the original 1970s style building as a historic building and then creating something that worked separately from it, in a grit in oyster type way, or, if we were effectively creating a new house in a contemporary style.

In the end we demolished and rebuilt half the house, and then just heavily altered the rest. The result is, I think, that it reads as a completely new house, but one that is in the same materials and general scale as the other houses in the mews (which were a development of four houses all built at the same time in the late 70s and in the same brick style).

It’s harmonious with the other houses, but feels new.

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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HOMES & INTERIORS / PROFILE

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:08

Grate Expectations Ltd. Ltd The Fireplace Specialists

Gtitititi Etitititititititititi tititi titititi tititititititititititi tititi titititititititititititi tititititititi tititi titi tititititi tititi tititititititi ti titititititi tititititititititi Wfi fififi fififi fiK’fi fififififififf fifififififififi fifi fifififififi fififififififififi fififi fifififififi fifififififififififififififi fifi fifififi fifififififi fififififi fifififififi fififi fifififi fififififi fififififi fififi fifififififififi fififififififififififi fifififffififififi fifi Wfififififififififi fifi Wfifififififi fififi’fifi fifififffififf fififi fi fifififi fifititififi fifififififififi fifi fi fififififi fififi fifififififififififi fifififififififififififi fififififififi fffi fifffifi fififi fififi fififififififififi fifififififi ff fifififififififififi fifitifififififi fffififi fifififi fififf fififififi fifififififffi fififififffi fifififi fififi fififififififi fifififififf fi fifififififififififi Ftititi ctitititiltatitititi ti titititititititi titititititititititititititititititititititititi tititititititititititititititititititititititititi

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30/04/2014 11:59

020 8876 1246 Coopers Appliances 441/445 Upper Richmond Road West, London, SW14 7PJ www.coopersappliances.com / info@coopersappliances.com

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18/08/2014 15:38

21/10/2014 10:33

HOMES & INTERIORS / PROFILE

PH: What did the house look like when you first bought it?

TC: When we purchased it in 2001 it had been in the same ownership since it was built and was being lived in by their student children - think hippy squat. Physically the house was much more compartmentalised internally, with much smaller windows onto the garden.

After a very thorough clean-up we lived in the house like that for 10 years before renovating – architects never have time to do their places up.

However we bought it always knowing it was going to be a project and that buying something freehold that isn't the standard 19th century London terrace house gives you a lot more design freedom when it comes to changes.

PH: The indoor and outdoor spaces merge together. How does this affect the way you use the space?

TC: It actually doesn’t affect the way the spaces are used that much as we spend much more time looking into the garden than actually going out into it. However

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because the spaces merge together visually the garden feels like extra indoor space and thus makes the house feel considerably bigger than it actually is. Several friends who visited after we’d finished even expressed surprise that we had a garden at all - they’d never been able to see it before.

PH: There’s a lot of glass. What are the benefits of glass?

TC: We have very tall neighbouring houses to the immediate south and consequently the house used to be quite

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:09

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HOMES & INTERIORS / PROFILE THE INSIDE/ OUTSIDE CONCEPT was

inspired by great projects like PHILIP JOHNSON'S GLASS HOUSE s in Connecticut dark in December and January. More glass meant cheerier winters!

PH: Can you explain the huge first floor window?

TC: It was a function of wanting much brighter rooms, a way to grab extra space within the bedroom without making the garden smaller (the window cantilevers out) and also a way of getting big furniture up that wouldn’t fit up the spiral stairs (it has a long trap door in the bottom of the cantilever).

PH: What’s your favourite room in the house?

TC: I do like the garden because I’m not clear myself whether it’s an exterior or an interior space. In many ways it’s even more formally designed than the rest of the house. There is a blurring of inside and outside space which I like very much. The garden is almost the centre around which the rest of the house spins.

PH: What are your favourite buildings in the world? Exteriors and interiors.

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TC: Gosh that’s a tough one - personally I’m dangerously Catholic in my taste and equally fond of Vanbrugh (the maximal 18th century English Baroque playwright-turned-architect) and Van der Laan (the Dutch monk-turnedminimalist). However, for our house I would say that the inside/outside concept was inspired by great projects like Philip Johnson’s Glass House in Connecticut and Craig Ellwood’s work in California, all dating from the 1960s. u thomascroft.com

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:09

Oance upon time... et our Fairy Godmother create a magical experience for your little girl by transforming her into a princess at the Disney Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Harrods.

Discover more at disneyboutiqueatharrods.com

© 1948 WDMC

Experiences from £100. Bookings subject to availability. Featured gown is from the £1,000 Royal Package. Full terms and conditions apply; read them at disneyboutiqueatharrods.com

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17/09/2014 16/09/2014 13:38 15:07

> KIDS CONFIDENTIAL

p. 88

LITTLE CLIMBERS

p. 91

SCHOOL TALK

p. 93

TWINKLE TOES Stockings are not just for Christmas. Falke's fabulous range of snuggly socks and cosy tights are high quality, resiliant and warm as well as looking stylish and bright. falke.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:33

Kids

10 of the best

KIDS PRODUCTS JONATHAN ADLER

Soft Giraffe, £68; alexandalexa.co.uk

CONFIDENTIAL The best pencil cases, Maggie and Rose's new look and predicted hysteria for the Albert Hall's sing-along Frozen Wo r d s E L I Z A B E T H H U T T O N

PEANUT & PIP

Watermelon Wall Stickers, £29.95; peanutandpip.com

LES GAMBETTES Regine Desk and Little Suzie Chair, from £68; alexandalexa.co.uk

CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA Incy Kitty Flat, £195; harrods.com

5

Pencil cases we love

01 02

03

04

05

1. CAROLINE GARDNER, Muchly Lovely pencil case, £12; johnlewis.com 2. HARRODS, Alphabet Cats & Dogs pencil case, £7.95; harrods.com 3. KIPLING, Bobble Fruit Pi Duo Box, £32 ; kipling.com 4. BETTY & WALTER, Plum Posset, £9 ; bettyandwalter.com 5. PAPERCHASE, Unicorn Pink pencil case, £6; paperchase.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

B&C_Nov_Kids_Notes_NEW.indd 88

Spanish Style La Coqueta

When former psychologist Celia Muñoz had her first child (of five!), her Spanish relatives sent bundles of beautiful clothes for the newborn from local designers. Her daughter received countless compliments, and Celia realised that London had a gap in the market for stylish Spanish childrenswear. And so, in 2012, La Coqueta was born. The new collection is just as gorgeous and vintage-inspired as we’ve come to expect. lacoquetakids.com

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KIDS & EDUCATION / NOTES

3

editor’s

PICK COLOUR IT IN Omy

The French designers behind Omy have come up with the most beautiful and detailed colouring sheets and posters, guaranteed to keep children occupied for hours. We love the citythemed colouring placemats, which come in packs of 24 and promise endless entertainment. £13.90, stonemarketing.com

baby grows we love 02

01

CLUB CLASSICS Maggie and Rose

Kensington's fabulous family members' club Maggie and Rose has had an impressive new refit. The new treehouse-inspired soft play area is both stylish and fun, as is the new mini brasserie and classes include cookery, gardening, art, music and dance for tots as tiny as 18 months. maggieandrose.com

03

1. REGGIE, Organic cotton babysuit, £39.95 ; bonniebaby.co.uk 2. PETIT BATEAU Rabbit print all-in-one, £63 ; petit-bateau.co.uk 3. PETIT BATEAU Striped all-in-one £63 ; petit-bateau.co.uk

PETIT BATEAU AW14 clothing; petit-bateau.co.uk

REBEL KITCHEN GREAT LITTLE TRADING

THE PERFECT PARENT?

Naturally flavored coconut mylk, £85; selfridges.com

Blue and White Stripe Wigwam, £85; gltc.co.uk

David Baddiel

Comedian and novelist David Baddiel has just published his first children's book, The Parent Agency, a hilarious and insightful story about children choosing their own parents. £12.99; Harper Collins Children’s Books

LET IT GO Sing-along Frozen

The entire Albert Hall will doubtless buckle under the sound of small voices belting out Disney's emotional Let it Go on 17 November, when three special sing-along screenings of Frozen are set to unleash mass hysteria among the under-10s.

Tickets from £15; under 14s half price; royalalberthall.com

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COS

MISSONI

A-line Wool Coat, £55; cosstores.com

Pink Zig Zag Blanket, £85; gltc.co.uk

MAISY'S CASTLE

Written and illustrated

by Lucy Cousins, £11.99; Walker Books

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:25

N A 9 TA NU .9 Y r MA 49 RA ED o ions w £ SP MAT sess 9 No

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Us

U (A

9 4.

£7

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24/10/2012 10:34 17:24 21/10/2014

KIDS & EDUCATION / ACTIVITIES

Rock Stars

Absolutely braves the steep urban rockface at Westway Sports Centre Wo r d s P e n d l e H a r t e

THIS IS

urban climbing at its BEST

L

adbroke Grove may be lacking in rocky landscapes but it still offers some of the best climbing sites in the country. You can see some of them from the Westway flyover. This is urban climbing at its best, with an enormous range of climbs for all abilities.

We arrived for a Saturday family session, devised to let people of mixed ages climb together. Children as young as four can scale these walls, if they’re brave enough (as frankly most four-year-olds are, unlike many 40-year olds). Though before they let you on a climb, there’s a brief but important safety lesson. First it’s how to

put on your harness (simple) and then it’s how to perfect the all-important knot on which your life is about to depend, which is not quite such an undemanding task.

It’s a sort of double figure of eight and it alone keeps you connected to the synthetic rock face, while your climbing partner

91 NH_Nov_CLIMBING.indd 91

is responsible for holding the other end taught. Even beginners manage some fairly impressive climbs here. It’s a vast facility, offering climbs of varying difficulty, some of them terrifyingly high. Each wall is dotted with a colourful assortment of grips and the idea is to follow a planned route in a single colour. You quickly get the idea and it’s fun and challenging – you need to be thinking at least one step ahead to prevent yourself from getting stuck with no relevant coloured grips within reach.

Routes are changed regularly, so regular climbers are never stuck for a challenge, while children can enroll in termly programmes to proceed through a series of national climbing levels – Westway produces a large proportion of the country’s professional climbers. There’s huge sense of achievement when you get to the top, and what the smallest climbers lack in leg length they certainly make up for in agility and speed. You’ll leave feeling strong, flexible and proud, even if you do find your wrists aching and your legs tired.

No pain, no gain, as they say. u

● West way Sp orts Centre

1 Thorpe Close, W10 020 8962 5720 sports.westway.org

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:33

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29/08/2014 12:56

KIDS & EDUCATION / SCHOOL TALK

Off The Mark Superstar pupils with E grades at A-Level and headteachers hopping with anger? Absolutely looks at the summer’s marking debacle Wo r d s A m a n d a C o n s ta n c e

I

magine this. You have a bright teenager; you are stumping up the fees for them to do their A-levels at private school, with tuition on the side. You guide them towards those coveted A* grades and a place at Oxbridge, or a Russell Group university. Yet when the results arrive, the As have become Bs and Ds – and even a U. But worse awaits when you discover that your precious genius was downgraded through no fault of their own, but rather because those marking the papers weren’t up to the job.

This is no recurring nightmare of a Tiger Mother but scary fact. According to some leading heads in the independent sector, perfectly bright pupils at top private schools are being penalised because inexperienced markers cannot recognise A* material.

Independent schools are making a record number of appeals against grades awarded in GCSEs and A-levels this year because of concerns over shortcomings in the marking process. It is believed the total number of re-marks demanded by schools will top 310,000. There is mounting anger amongst headteachers over exam standards, particularly in relation to more ‘subjective’, essay-based disciplines such as English literature and history. Examples of inaccurate marking include: u An AS-level politics student from Guildford High School achieved the equivalent of an E grade, even though her essay was regarded as so good that it was quoted in an examiner’s report as an example of outstanding work. The paper was re-marked as a B and – in a largely unprecedented step – graded a third time by the chief examiner to gain an A. u Brighton College has seen the total number of GCSEs graded A* in all

THERE IS MOUNTING ange

amongst headteachers over EXAM STANDARDS

subjects jump, from 44.5 to 48.5 per cent, after re-marks of English and religious studies papers saw 200 pupils awarded an improved classification. u One pupil at Latymer Upper School was turned down by Durham University when one of his papers was rated a D grade. When the school asked to see his exam paper, they found the marks had been added up incorrectly, by 20 marks fewer, and that he should have received an A grade. By then Durham had withdrawn its offer and he will now go to his second choice university.

Headteachers are demanding a revamp of the examinations system, including greater incentives for experienced markers and better standards of training.

93 Chiswick_Nov_Education.indd 93

Fiona Boulton, Headmistress of Guildford High, said: ‘Some staff don’t often come across A* material and therefore don’t recognise it when they see it. We don’t pay examiners enough… so the incentives to become a marker are significantly reduced.’

Glenys Stacey, chief regulator of Ofqual, the qualifications watchdog, said exam boards would be required to publish data from next year showing how many errors were down to individual markers or wider ‘system problems’ but insisted that ‘overall, the system of marking works well.’

But that is not what the qualifications watchdog has concluded about language A-Levels. Last month Ofqual announced that A-levels in Modern Languages would be marked more fairly from next summer, following an investigation which found that the brightest candidates were being denied A* grades by inconsistent marking and poorly designed exams.

Ofqual’s findings were damning. It found that the marking and design of the exams were flawed and needed immediate reform. The report also concluded that the most able students were not getting the highest grades due to the way in which the marking rules have been designed by exam boards.

Peter Hamilton, Chair of the Headmasters’ Conference Academic Policy Committee and Headmaster of Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys School said: ‘Thanks to the joint persistence of the state and independent schools’ languages associations, Ofqual will now be acting to correct historic injustices that have hugely damaged confidence in these exam grades over recent years.’

Headteachers will no doubt be keen to see if there are radical changes in the pipeline for other subjects, too. u

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:45

Book your Christmas party at Lisa’s now – the traditional Swedish christmas at Lisa’s starts in November and runs all the way through December.

Sunday is the ultimate date night at Lisa’s, with movies projected onto the restaurant wall at 7pm, plus special offers on Sunday night dinners.

For more information visit www.lisasportobello.com

Live Jazz bands every Friday and Saturday with candlelight dinners.

OPENING HOURS MON CLOSED | TUE - FRIDAY 12.00 AM - 12.00 PM | SAT 11.00 AM - 12.00 PM | SUN 11.00 AM - 17.00 PM 07445 261 778 | BOOKINGS@LISASPORTOBELLO.COM | LISASPORTOBELLO.COM

LISA.indd 2

20/10/2014 16:23

> FOOD NOTES

p. 97

RECIPES - THE KITCHEN ORCHARD

p. 102

THE ULTIMATE MEXICO Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte is the definitive bible of home-cooking from Mexico. With a culinary history dating back 9,000 years, Mexican food is renowned for its use of fresh aromatic ingredients, colourful presentations and bold food combinations. The beautiful book features more than 700 delicious and authentic recipes that can be easily recreated at home. ÂŁ29.95, Phaidon Press

95 NH_Nov_Food_Opener.indd 95

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:12

E AT

SUSHI LONDON

We want to be your neighbourhood favourite. Our simple, fresh and tasty Japanese dishes will bring delight to you. You can come and dine in our cozy sushi bar, call for takeaway, or order for delivery.

We dont just sell fish! Eat Sushi provides lots of Japanese food including japanese curries, rice dishes and noodles.

Mention ABSOLUTELY when ordering a delivery and you’ll receive 20% off your bill * This offer can only be used once

020 8969 4386 | info@eat-sushi.co.uk 16 Station Terrace, Kensal Rise, London NW10 5RX www.eat-sushi.co.uk

EATSUSHI.indd 1

20/10/2014 15:19

GOODE & WRIGHT Goode & Wright an eclectic bistro in the heart of Notting Hill is now under new ownership thanks to manager, Alex Herb joining head chef Finlay Logan in the running of the restaurant. The menu boasts Great British produce with a gutsy French influence offering up dishes such as ‘Foie Gras with Gingerbread Ice Cream and Aged Balsamic’ and to top it all off they have recently launched a cutting edge cocktail list created by the innovative Matt Whiley of Talented Mr. Fox.

271 Portobello Road W11 1LR, London | +44(0)2077275552 | eat@goodeandwright.co.uk Monday Closed | Tue - Fri 11am - 11pm | Sat 9am - 4pm 7pm - 11pm | Sun 9am - 4pm

GOODE&WRIGHT.indd 1

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 6

20/10/2014 11:40

21/10/2014 10:37

FOOD & DRINK / NOTES RECIPE

SQUID WITH CHILLIES From MEX ICO TH E CO O K BO O K Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes INGREDIENTS s e r v e 6

• 1¾ lb/800 g squid, cleaned • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 1 mulato chile, membrane and seeds removed and sliced • 1 pasilla chile, membrane and seeds removed and sliced • 1 ancho chile, membrane and seeds removed and sliced • sea salt and pepper • white rice, to serve

TABLE TALK Brunch at Wahaca, dinner at Bite Me and a fantastic new home delivery service for Notting Hill

METHOD 01 Separate the body and the tentacles of the squid. Score the body in a crosscross pattern and leave the tentacles whole.

BRUNCH BUNCH

BITE ME PIZZA

Kensal Rise-based Thomasina Miers’ muchloved Mexican chain has started serving brunch, so if you fancy your early eggs with a side of guac and a fiery chilli or two, you know exactly where to head.

Huevos rancheros ahoy! wahaca.co.uk

Westbourne Grove's newest pizza paradise is Bite Me, a no-nonsense compact eaterie with a dedication to making excellent pizza.

Choose your own combination of topping or try one of their menu options – and make sure you finish off with a fabulous nutella pizza. Yes really. Eat in or take away - or order through Deliveroo (see below).

92 Westbourne Grove W2; bitemepizza. co.uk

02 Heat the oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and chillies, and sauté for 1–2 minutes. Do not let them burn. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

Deliveroo ew premium delivery service Deliveroo is just the cleverest thing. Order online and it will pick up a meal from a restaurant near you and bring it straight to your door. Just look up your postcode and see what's on offer. We went for a burger feast from Lucky Seven and it arrived hot and on time – other options for W10 include Santo, Ping Pong, Snowflake Gelato and Bite Me Pizza. deliveroo.co.uk

N

03 Add the squid to the pan, increase the heat to high, and cook for 1 minute on one side, turn, and then cook for an additional minute, until firm and cooked through.

04 Return the garlic and chile mixture to the pan, stir, and serve with white rice. u

Mexico – the Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte, Phaidon, £29.95

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:11

URBAN MEADOW Welcome to Urban Meadow Cafe & Bar, fresh British dining beside the iconic location of London’s Hyde Park.

3 course Festive Season Menu available from 17th November 2014 BOOK YOUR FESTIVE MEAL BEFORE 13TH OCTOBER AND RECEIVE 15% OFF YOU BILL. WE ARE NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR CHRISTMAS DAY & NEW YEAR’S EVE

( Private dining available ) OPENING TIMES: Monday - Friday 6:30 - 23:00 // Saturday 7:30 - 23:00 // Sunday 7:30 - 22:30 Bar open until midnight

one pot Ad notting hill 134x190mm.pdf HALF HORIZONTAL.indd 1

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 7

1

14/10/2014

15:50

20/10/2014 17:03

21/10/2014 10:39

FOOD & DRINK / REVIEW

Posh local

Absolutely visits W9's Truscott Arms, winner of the 2014 Best British Roast Dinner award Wo r d s a m a n d a c o n s ta n c e

T

he The Truscott Arms is the sort of posh local we’d all love to have around the corner. Once the rundown Shirland Hotel, it was bought in 2012 by award-winning theatre director Andrew Fishwick and his wife Mary Jane. With the help of designer-to-the stars Michel Schranz, they have now restored the building to its original opulence.

It’s a great space, with a vast highceilinged main bar, a dining room upstairs and two functions room on the second floor. And the food is excellent, too.

Despite only opening last year, the pub has just won Best British Roast Dinner 2014 plus plaudits for it strong emphasis on local, seasonal fare.

The dining room upstairs opened in early September with Aidan McGee as head chef. McGee earned his stripes at Launceston Place and Dinner with Heston Blumenthal but this is his first time running the show. And he makes a promising start. The a la carte autumn menu is limited to a confident four starters, five mains and three puddings plus cheese.

We started with Cornish crab and cucumber soup with pickled cucumber and radish. A disc of sweet crab, surrounded by a chilled, savoury green soup that tasted like the essence of summer. Another starter of roast scallop and pork shoulder with ‘texture of cauliflower’ - a crumbling of cauliflower served on a smooth cauliflower puree was equally good, the velvet cauliflower

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sauce a perfect foil to the soft, smoky pork shoulder and sweet scallops. For mains a guinea fowl with pressed potatoes, pears and girolles was succulent but the glazed beef cheeks with smoked mash, roasted carrots, cabbage and beef glazing liquor was superb; the soft, yielding beef covered in a caramelised, rich sauce that had us both fighting for the last mouthful.

The food at the Truscott Arms is very good. And it’s great value, too with £29 for two courses, £34 for three and £40 for four. McGee just needs bums on seats.

When we visited it was fairly empty, so go now and make sure this quality local becomes a fixture for years to come. u

● trus cot t arms

55 Shirland Road, W9; 020 7266 9198 thetruscottarms.com

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:13

W Buy me a

DRINK 31dover.com is a new online service that's revolutionising the way we buy and gift drinks.

Absolutely investigates

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

NH_Nov_ADV 31dover_v6.indd 100

ho wants to carry bags of bottles home? They're heavy and awkward – to say nothing of the inelegant clanking.

Shopping for alcohol is something that lends itself brilliantly to the web and new site 31dover.com is revolutionising the way that Londoners buy drinks, whether it's a single bottle, enough for a wedding party or even a mass corporate gifting initiative.

Styling itself as the net-a-porter of the alcohol world, 31dover.com offers not only a wide range of products but also a very reliable next-day delivery service and a price match guarantee. Besides making drinks buying easier, 31dover.com will help buyers make informed choices. Want to try something unusual? Browse the range of spirits and you'll find a rare Guatemalan rum, a Roberto Cavalli vodka and over 40 types of whisky, all of them personally recommended by the team of experts. You'll find cocktail suggestions and lots of Champagne, plus wine, beer and mixers too.

Whether it's a dinner party, a beautifully presented gift or a cocktail cabinet refill, 31dover.com is the site to visit. u

100 20/10/2014 16:08

ABSOLUTELY / PROMOTION

delaire graff

WANT TO TRY something UNUSUAL or find that special gift FOR CHRISTMAS?

delicious South African Chardonnay, packed full of the Stellenbosch sunshine and caressed by French oak.

A light golden wheat colour, it has layered expressions of citrus and tropical fruit with subtle layers of honey and almonds in the background.

The flavours are complimented by a delicate minerality. £10.99 ◆

A

Chilgrove Gin

roduced in small batches, Chilgrove is the first ever English gin to use grapes for its base distillation. This makes it incredibly smooth compared to lots of grain-based gins.

Master Distiller Charles Maxwell then adds 11 botanicals, with juniper at the heart, to create a complex and elegant gin. Other additions include wild water mint, grains of paradise, citrus peel, coriander seed and iris. £28.95 ◆

P

Haig Club

aig Club™ is the new Single Grain Whisky developed in partnership H with sporting legend David Beckham. The liquid has been crafted using a unique process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style that showcases butterscotch and toffee for an ultrasmooth taste. £44.95 ◆

Kraken Rum

raken Rum is blended with 14 spices & aged in oak casks for a minimum of 24 months.

Chocolate sweetness & vanilla mingle with cinnamon, clove, ginger & orange. The finish is warming with rich vanilla and coffee with slight pepper notes. Drink it neat or serve it long with fresh lime juice or ginger beer. £20.99 ◆

K

Grey Goose

he original premium Vodka from the fertile lands of northern France, Grey Goose mill their whole wheat to a specific grade of flour before distillation begins. Filtering it 500 feet below the Champagne region of Cognac in pure spring water then ensures the end product is an untainted success.

Soft and smooth to taste, almond and citrus flavours come to the fore. It’s perfect sipped neat straight from the freezer or in a Vodka Martini. Try the orange, pear and lemon versions too. £34 ◆

T

Moet & Chandon

erhaps the most alluring and iconic Champagne today, Moet Imperial is a treasure of Champagne society.

Moet’s taste is literally multifaceted, having been blended from over 100 different wines using a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes. Pair it with what you wish at the dinner table. £30 ◆

P

● 31dover.com promises next day delivery, whether it's one bottle or 100 –and free next day delivery when you spend over £100. For top rated service, a great selection and the best prices online, visit 31dover.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 16:08

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX

AUBERGINES, MINT, RAISINS serves 4 as a si d e dis h This recipe is based on the Sicilian aubergine dish, caponata. There are many variations, some recipes include olives, carrots and even potatoes. I first learned to cook this at home with my mother. I particularly enjoy this with some grilled lamb or pork.

T

INGREDIENTS • 2 tablespoons pine nuts • at least 1 litre sunflower oil • 1 aubergine (about 400g), cut into 2cm cubes • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 onion, finely diced • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced • 1½ tablespoons honey • 4 large plum tomatoes, blanched in boiling water, then peeled, seeded and roughly diced • 200g celery, roughly chopped and boiled until soft • 2 tablespoons fresh finely chopped mint leaves • 1 tablespoon capers • 1 tablespoon raisins • salt

CHEF SECRETS

Kitchen

METHOD

ORCHARD

Last year, pop-up eaterie The Orchard made a brief but memorable appearance on Kensington Park Road. Now it's back in book form Wo r d s n ata l i a c o n r o y

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

NH_Nov_Recipes_v2.indd 102

01 Gently toast the pine nuts on a baking sheet in a low oven (about 150ºC/Gas 2) until golden. 02 Boil some water and pour it over the tomatoes – the skin will start to peel away. After about 30 seconds in the hot water, put the tomatoes into another bowl with ice and water. 03 Fill the largest pot you have with sunflower oil so that the level of oil reaches one third of the way up the sides.

Heat the oil until extremely hot – drop a cube of aubergine in: if it fizzes vigorously, the oil is hot enough. Fry the aubergine in batches and when dark golden on all sides, drain on plenty of kitchen paper. While the aubergines are still hot, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and some salt. 04 In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat and fry the onions and garlic with the honey. Season with salt and pepper and when they are very soft – about 15 minutes – add the tomato and celery.

05 Finally, in a large mixing bowl, toss the aubergine with the tomato mixture, remaining vinegar, mint, capers, raisins and pine nuts.

Check the seasoning and serve. u

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FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:57

Away

TA K E

A healthy lunch @ santo

AVA I L A B L

E

Every Friday & Saturday 12 to 5 pm 299 portobello road, notting hill, w10 5td | 0208 968 4590

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FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES

BANANA, CINNAMON, PINEAPPLE BREAD m akes 1 l o a f c a ke INGREDIENTS • 165g extremely over-ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas), mashed with a fork, plus one extra banana for the topping • 165g plain flour • 150g soft light brown sugar, plus 1 extra tablespoon for the topping • 130g tinned pineapple (drained weight), finely chopped • 40g desiccated coconut • 50g walnuts, finely chopped • ¼ teaspoon salt • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract • 1¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ¾ teaspoons ground nutmeg • ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda • 90ml corn oil • 2 medium eggs • 1 tablespoon porridge oats

PORK, BAY, WATERCRESS serves 8 –1 0 as a m ai n course

METHOD Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4.

Line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper.

Combine all the ingredients except the oats in a bowl. Mix well then spoon into the lined tin. Slice the remaining banana into diagonal slivers and layer on top of the cake. Sprinkle the oats over the top of the cake followed by the tablespoon of brown sugar. 03 Bake for about 50 minutes–1 hour. To test for doneness, insert a skewer into the cake – it should come out clean. Cool in the tin. u

INGREDIENTS • 2kg pork cheeks • 3 medium cooking chorizo sausages • 4 country-style pork sausages • 5 rashers streaky bacon, roughly diced • ½ tablespoon fennel seeds • ½ tablespoon caraway seeds • 2 fennel bulbs, cut into quarters • 500g tinned peeled plum tomatoes • 5 garlic cloves, peeled • 2 large red onions, finely chopped • ½ head of celery, roughly chopped • 2 bay leaves • ½ rosemary branch • 250ml apple juice • 750ml chicken stock • salt and freshly ground black pepper • cooked cannellini beans (see page 117), to serve • Aioli (see page 153), to serve • watercress, to serve

01

02

METHOD Preheat the oven to 225ºC/Gas 7½.

01 In a pot large enough to encompass all the ingredients, put the pork cheeks, half of each type of sausage, the bacon, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, fennel, tomatoes, garlic, onion, celery, bay, rosemary, apple juice and chicken stock. Season generously with pepper but cautiously with salt – there is salt already in

105 NH_Nov_Recipes_v2.indd 105

the bacon and sausages. 02 Place a cartouche over the top. A cartouche is the name for a disk of baking parchment cut to fit snugly over the contents of a pot (usually it sits on the liquid, if there is enough of it). Its primary aim is to reduce evaporation, prevent a skin from forming and keep the components submerged. Place a lid on the pot and cook in the oven for 2½–3 hours, or until the pork cheeks can be easily broken up with a fork. 03 In the meantime, fry the remaining sausages in a pan and chop roughly. When the braise in the pot is ready, remove the sausages which cooked in the liquid and replace them with the freshly fried ones; this seems pernickety but it is very agreeable to have the nicely browned sausages in the final dish as opposed to the discoloured and largely tasteless (most of the flavour has left the sausages during the cooking and gone wonderfully into the stewing liquid) boiled sausages. Serve in a large bowl ladled over cannellini beans and topped with a large dollop of aioli and plenty of watercress. u

Recipes taken from The Kitchen Orchard by Natalia Conroy (Ebury Press, Hardcover, £25) Photography by Andy Sewell

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:00

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'TIS THE SEASON Planning a Christmas party? Here are all the local contacts you'll need

THE COMMANDER Christmas is just around the corner and The Commander is the ideal venue for your festive party. Located just off Westbourne Grove, private dining is also available for lunches and evening soirées. Don't miss this year’s New Year’s Eve party, with a 5-course set menu and a glass of champagne for £90pp. Enjoy the sounds of a 4-piece band who will be playing until late.

Join us for what is sure to be a fabulous night!

For more info, please contact us on 020 7229 1503; thecommanderbar.co.uk

Maida Hill Place Maida Hill Place is London's premier location for Christmas/new year party hire. Hosting residencies with London's best chefs, the venue's high spec kitchen is ideal for private and corporate events. Collaborating with Kitchen Theory's Michelin-trained team's new pop-up Náttúra until Christmas, this venue is fast becoming one of the capital's most exciting culinary hubs.

4 Fernhead Road, W9; 020 8964 2549 maidahillplace.co.uk

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NH_Nov_Christmas_Parties_Feature.indd 106

MODE A restaurant with a unique, late night offering where renowned musicians, both live and electronic, fuse together. Leading MODE's food offering is Head Chef Michael Mannion, whose unique and inventive flavour combinations form a creative menu which gives new life to traditional recipes and innovative twists to classic dishes. Invention, ingenuity and theatre are at the heart of MODE’s food offering, 12 Acklam Road, W10; 020 8354 3864 modecollective.com

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The Floating Boater, Warwick Crescent, W2 6NE; 020 7266 1066; enquiries@floatingboater.co.uk floatingboater.co.uk

Portobello's eclectic Goode & Wright is under new ownership now that manager Alex Herb has join head chef Finlay Logan in the running of the restaurant. Great British produce with a gutsy French influence includes dishes such as foie gras with gingerbread ice cream and aged balsamic, and they have recently launched a cutting edge cocktail list by the innovative Matt Whiley of Talented Mr. Fox. 271 Portobello Road, W11; 020 7727 5552 goodeandwright.co.uk

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SANTO

URBAN MEADOW

Christmas parties at Santo start at £30.

For specials menus talk directly to the chef, whose delicious dishes are made with love and Mexican charm. Inviting cocktails and Mexican dishes, alongside the sounds of salsa create warm and inviting atmosphere that guarantees that it'll be a good party.

299 Portobello Road, W10; 020 8968 4590; santolondres.com

The theme here is breezy, outdoorsy, organic.

Dishes are generous and attractively served, in keeping with the carefully thought-out surroundings. The three course Christmas menu is available from 24 November at £24.50 per head, plus £5 for a glass of Prosecco – or come for a slap-up on Christmas day itself for £45 per head.

150 Bayswater Road W2; 020 7792 7066 urbanmeadowcafe.com

LISA'S Dinner at Lisa’s Swedish kitchen is sourced from small local producers when possible, and prepared with great attention to detail.

Courses are presented in a personal fashion, by knowledgeable and experienced staff who are able to accurately recommend food and wine combinations. Dogs are welcome too!

305 Portobello Road, W10; 020 8694 8293 lisasportobello.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:32

Ukai (oo-kaaee), our name, is inspired by the traditional method of river fishing practiced for some 1,300 years using Cormorant birds to catch sweetfish.

Due to interest, many of its various Japanese inspired products including flower teas (which blossoms in front

UKAI SUSHI_APRIL.indd 1

of you eyes), and a variety of stylish tableware are now available to be purchased.

Ultimately, Ukai’s passion is sushi. With the simplest recipe; the freshest sustainable fish, the highest quality of ingredients and a trained and loving chef.

18/03/2014 09:58

FOOD & DRINK / REVIEW

NAMA Raw delights

W o r d s PE ARL BOYD

New Tom's It's new, but it's still Tom's Wo r d s p e n d l e h a r t e

W

e were lucky enough to catch a late summer day, probably the last of the year, for lunch at New Tom's. New Tom's Bar and Bistro is a revived version of the popular Westbourne Grove stalwart, which is back after a temporary hiatus with a new, uncluttered look and a new chef. Happily, they've kept eggs benedict on the menu, of course, and added a menu of fresh juices as well as cocktails.

We sat in the garden, it being probably our last chance, which is a bright, colourful spot, all blue paint and bright chairs. The menu's appealing and most things are available as either starters or mains. We resisted the temptation of eggs benedict and tried instead a Portland crab salad with avocado, pickled cucumber and lemon mayonniase, which came prettily arranged on a

stylish rustic plate and tasted fresh and moreish, especially thanks to a delicious sprinkling of crunchy breadcrumbs.

Lemon sole goujons with pommes puree, herb and caper yoghurt were equally tasty, and a side of slightly unseasonal purple sprouting broccoli with chilli and anchovy butter was spot on. For pudding, chocolate cake with salty caramel and mascarpone was deconstructed, a mix of textures and fragments, chocolatey without being overwhelmingly sweet, while my lemon curd, English strawberry, walnut crumble and foamed meringue was a super sweet mix of crunchy crumble, fluffy meringue and tart lemon in a big bowl. Tom's is still a great place to meet, whether brunch, drinks or dinner, and the new look is just as tasteful as the old one. It's set to be a year-long pop-up, so visit before it goes. u

● new tom's

226 Westbourne Grove, W11; 020 7243 3341 newtoms.co.uk

109 NH_Nov_Food_Review_x2.indd 109

aw food sounds a bit joyless. be a euphemism for R Itancould undressed salad or an apple. But not at Nama, Talbot Road's hottest new eaterie (though of course everything's cold).

Here, in spartan white surroundings, you can eat some of the most creatively delicious dishes around, all of them uncooked, though you wouldn't immediately know it.

With a menu offering standard things including pizza, lasagne, crepes and curry, it's not obvious to the uninitiated how things are raw. And that's the clever part.

All ingredients are organic, unprocessed, vegan, wheat and dairy free and most dishes, we are warned, contain nuts. Our lasagne is a layered pile of pomodoro sauce and cougette pasta strips, with herbed nut, seed and yellow pepper cheese, pesto and marinated spinach. It's delicious and certainly lasagne-flavoured, and filling without being heavy. The star dish is Thai coconut curry, which is cauliflower, courgette, red pepper and leek marinated in a sweet chilli sauce with coconut curry, kohlrabi rice and pickled fennel. It's insanely tasty, like a south Indian coconut chutney mixed with Thai spice. You might expect puddings to be all worthiness and no fun but there was really nothing puritan about our fermented mocha cheesecake and chocolate ganache tarts, which were as decadent as creamy as their dairy counterparts. It'sessential to try the superfood juices and smoothies too. ◆

● na m a

110 Talbot Road, W11, 020 7313 4638, namafoods.com

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 17:15

Treehouse_July.indd 1

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 8

25/06/2013 18:14

21/10/2014 10:40

> UK GETAWAY: DORSETT SHEPHERD'S BUSH

p. 113

DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF HOI AN, VIETNAM

p. 114

ORIENTAL EXPRESS Be transported to another world with Holly Baxter's guide to the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An, Vietnam (pictured). Closer to home, Asian hotel chain Dorsett have opened in Shepherd's Bush.

Read our review over the page...

111 Chiswick_Nov_Travel_Opener.indd 111

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:13

DISCOVERMORE

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The new independent co-educational senior school for students aged 11-18 in West London

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21/10/2014 10:41

TRAVEL / UK GETAWAY HOTEL

I

t’s rather telling that when luxury Asian hotel chain Dorsett decided to expand into Europe, their first port of call was not London’s glittering West End or trendy Soho, but Shepherd’s Bush. It’s a clever move given the area’s growing appeal – its location a veritable stone’s throw away from Westfield Shopping Centre and a few doors down from the famous Empire. Residents will have noticed construction work going on for some time now and their curiosity will be rewarded when, this November, the hotel throws its enormous revolving doors open fully, following a soft launch earlier this autumn. By keeping the beautiful original Gradelisted façade, Dorsett Shepherd’s Bush is a sophisticated feat of architecture that appears both striking and imposing whilst remaining oddly subtle. It almost feels like it’s been in the area for years. u

DORSETT HOTEL S H E P H E R D ’S B U S H

Wo r d s G E M M A B I L L I N G T O N

RESTAURANT

VIBE

ictures, the in-house restaurant, boasts predominantly British fare with a spattering of Asianinspired dishes. I started with a quinoa, pomegranate and haloumi salad followed by flat noodles and prawns. The brownie I had for dessert served with pecans, raspberries and ice cream was absolutely delicious.

The best part, however, is the fact that the prices are very reasonable and the portions, satisfyingly large. It’s a smart way to attract the crowds and compete with the many eateries popping-up in Shepherd’s Bush. Afternoon tea and specialist sandwiches served at lunchtime are sure to prove stiff competition too. u

n keeping with its Asian roots, the Dorsett look is contemporary East meets West, and despite the ostentatious sounding décor (gold, velvet, diamanté, traditional print feature wallpaper and mirrored furniture) it stays well and truly on the right side of good taste. It’s business appropriate but not in a cold, distant way and the staff are extremely cheerful and only too willing to help. The rooms are spacious and elegant, with a luxuriously big shower and bath combo. One of the highlights of the hotel is to sup a pleasingly boozy cocktail in the Atrium bar. Its ingenious layout enables the visitor to take-in the hotel’s spectacular design, with a vertiginous, dazzling view of all seven floors from the inside, right up to the ceiling skylight. u

P

I

THE DAMAGE Rooms at the Dorsett Shepherd’s Bush start at £103 per night 58 Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12; dorsett.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:15

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Good morning,

VIETNAM Holly Baxter returns to the highlight of her backpacking days, the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An, Vietnam W o r d s H o l ly B a x t e r

V

ietnam is not the first place you might choose to take your mother. But it was for me, one freezing February morning when I’d just negotiated another difficult phone call. As I clicked off the phone, the idea that we should visit Hoi An reared its head for the first time.

It had been a tough year for us both.

Work was demanding, and she had undergone a divorce; my younger sister was in full technicolour teenage brat mode. Usually so close, we now argued regularly. I was yearning to return to the South East Asian landscape that had amazed me in my backpacking teenage years. She was yearning for a luxurious yet affordable escape from a deluge of teen tantrums and divorce drama.

Travelling to a small Vietnamese town with a middle-aged mother in tow seemed completely ridiculous and absolutely out of the question. Yet, almost as soon as the idea occurred to me, we were both dead set on making it a reality.

Six weeks later, our plane touched down after 18 hours onto the underused tarmac at Da Nang Airport. Hoi An is a small town, flanked by the metropolises of Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south, with miles of dirt roads and rice paddy fields

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

Chiswick_Nov_Vietnam.indd 114

in between. Travelling by road is possible, but notoriously slow; the only realistic method of reaching Hoi An is by touching down at its local airport half an hour away in the adjoining town. From there, a taxi for the half hour ride to Hoi An hovers around the $15 mark – and yes, the drivers (as well as everyone else in Vietnam) will accept American dollars as readily as they do Vietnamese dong.

From what I’d heard from fellow travellers while in Ho Chi Minh City on my last few trips, Hoi An is the town that has it all: picturesque countryside vignettes hovering unbelievably close to ancient Chinese and Japanese architecture, unspoilt beaches only minutes away from markets filled with

merchants who will churn you out a completely bespoke silk dress or wool suit in a matter of hours, lantern-covered rivers running through a town where residents range from elderly women in conical hats selling fruit from wooden wagons to their spritely grandchildren navigating the streets on pink mopeds and catching pictures of the tourists with their iPads. It’s hard to believe that Hoi An can be all these things, and such high praise risks condemning it to saccharine hyperbole. And in many ways, it would be untrue to say that this small part of

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TRAVEL / HOI AN

Vietnam seems like paradise, when our first glimpse of it through a taxi window was of hundreds of honking motorbikes bellowing their way through dusty streets. Yet, once you have been here, you can’t imagine a better place to return to.

As my mother left for her plane at the end of our ten day trip, she was moved to tears by the thought that she might never have the chance to return.

But what is it, specifically, that makes Hoi An so special? Partly, it’s the sheer diversity of terrain: our small boutique hotel at the edge of town (5* suites for

WE DISCOVERED a palm TREE lined

beach and

RAUCOUS SEA £26 each per night) looked over paddy fields populated with rice pickers and water buffalo on one side, and an urban scene of street hawkers advertising grilled coconut crisps on the other. Like

115 Chiswick_Nov_Vietnam.indd 115

most hotels in Hoi An, the Essence lent us bicycles and maps of the surrounding area for free; fifteen minutes down the road astride them, we discovered a palm tree lined beach and a raucous sea to cool down in. A further five minutes from there, we came across the vegetable village of Tra Que: acres of lush green land as far as the eye can see, tended into neat lines of every herb and vegetable possible. Everywhere we looked, there was a strikingly different scene.

Those who live in the town are evangelical about its charms. Women on

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:11

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TRAVEL / HOI AN their way home from dropping children at school or taking a break from selling fruit and handmade wares in the town approached us as we wandered the winding streets, asking why we were visiting and what we thought of the place. They told us about their families, one weaving us a tale about her renegade sister who had married a German tourist and moved to Hamburg.

Two minutes off the main tourist walkways, adventurous tourists can find their way into the semi-chaotic local cloth market, where an unbelievably small Vietnamese woman stood on an upturned box to reach my 5’3” mother’s shoulders with a tape measure, and tailor-made a Chanel copy suit for her for $45. Her friend took us to a stall out of the sun and expertly threaded our eyebrows and painted our nails for $5 as we perched on tiny plastic seats. We bought handmade

TRADERS tell you to be ‘HAPPY and LUCKY’ AS YOU PASS bags to our own proportions, and were even offered bespoke reading glasses.

‘There is nothing that cannot be made in Hoi An,’ one waitress told us proudly.

Due in no small part to its lovingly tended architecture, Hoi An was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

UNESCO describes it as ‘an exceptionally well preserved example of a South East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century.’ The ancient buildings, adorned with lanterns made by silksellers sat in shopfronts that line the streets, are kept in good repair by mainly local donations: residents’ pride in the area is strong. It’s hard to believe that, as

recently as 1968, this area of Vietnam was infamous for shocking coverage of the My Lai Massacre, a violent purging of a nearby village by American soldiers. The Vietnamese of today have not forgotten that war: charity boxes collecting for the victims of Agent Orange punctuate the winding streets, but there is no bitterness toward western visitors. Instead, westerners are welcomed without suspicion (and often photographed as exotic curiosities.) Meanwhile, the happygo-lucky atmosphere – where traders quite literally tell you to ‘be happy and lucky’ as you pass – is infectious: my usually cautious mother hopped readily onto the back of a motorbike and asked a local boy to drive us down the road to the herb village, to my immense surprise.

Hoi An is dissected by the Thu Bon river, which – despite the food and cloth markets jostling for attention further in – is its own centre of commerce. Rather than visiting merchants, now Vietnamese children selling candles line the banks, while the riverside proper is abundant with fishing boats waiting to take you anywhere you could possibly hope to visit.

My mother and I took a private $10 boat to a village one day, and a $5 ride down the river at night with candles on our last night. We were lucky enough to have our final night fall on the monthly lunar celebration, where all traffic and electric lighting is banned, and the town lights up with the candles of a thousand lanterns and the burning of incense sticks at tiny impromptu shrines outside homes and businesses. We let our paper lanterns float down the river from our small wooden boat, and made silent wishes. u

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BEST OF THE REST

S

outh East Asia is an incredibly diverse region with surprisingly well connected flight paths, so it makes sense to spend your time there in more than one country. One underrated city is Manila in the Philippines, best accessed via Hong Kong from Da Nang Airport at Hoi An on Cathay Pacific Airlines. By far the most decadent choices in Manila are Raffles and its sister hotel the Fairmont, both situated in the upmarket Makati district. Luxury comes at a more-thanreasonable price for the western traveller, due to the fact that the Philippines suffered a downturn in tourism after Typhoon Haiyan.

One night in a room at the Fairmont Makati comes in at around £135, even in peak season, so if you’ve been budgeting your way around the region this is a great place to set down your bags, collapse onto a queen-size bed and enjoy glass of champagne while watching the sun set. Quality really does come cheap in the Philippines – but renewed interest in the region means these prices won’t last forever.

● fairmont and raffles

For prices and info see: raffles.com; fairmont.com

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 18:11

ABSOLUTELY / TRAVEL

SPOTLIGHT

Island Life Presenter Jamie Theakston’s guide to the Jewel of Kedah, Langkawi, Malaysia words ja mie the akston

LANGKAWI

L

M a l ays i a

angkawi is one of only four populated islands out of Malaysia’s 99 island archipelago, located 30km off the northwest coast. This much I learnt from my 6-year-old’s school project ahead of our trip. In fact, by the time we limped off our 12 hour flight via Kuala Lumpur, there wasn’t much I didn’t know about this jewel in the Andaman Sea. Being almost adjacent to the Thai border, visitors to Phuket or Koh Samui will be familiar with the Langkawi vibe and the island is fast becoming a bustling tourist mecca.

Back in the day, Langkawi attracted seafarers and traders bringing spices and silks from China and India.

Langkawi’s hidden coves were also a haven for pirates who ruled the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea. It is a land steeped in legends and shrouded in mysteries. Its past is filled with legendary tales of wronged maidens and lovelorn princes. The bestknown legend is that of Mahsuri, a beautiful maiden who lived here some 200 years ago. She was wrongly accused of committing adultery and sentenced to death by those who were envious of her. With her dying breath, she laid a curse upon the island that it should remain barren for seven generations.

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TRAVEL / WANDERLUST

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NOVEMBER 2014

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TRAVEL / WANDERLUST WHEN TO GO

void June – its very wet. I’d say the best times to visit is at the start of the year, around January or February time. I was warned by one of the locals that it can get busy during the Malaysian school holidays, when holidaymakers flock from the mainland.

A

WHERE TO STAY

here are plenty of top notch hotels on Langkawi, most notably The Datai and The Andaman, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better base for your holiday than the luxurious Four Seasons’ Resort, with its stunning pavilions and unrivalled service.

The hotel is a village of pavilions, pools and beautifully landscaped gardens. We stayed in a Family Beach House, accessed via a quiet garden path that led to a private plunge pool and reflecting pond overlooking the Andaman Sea. The outdoor deck caters for lazy days with a large dining area and a sprawling daybed. The airy interiors accommodate two large living areas, a four-man spa bath, indoor and outdoor tropical shower rooms and a family-size walk-in closet.

The children’s bedroom has an LCD screen television with a PS3 game console, with additional family-friendly amenities extending from beach toys and sandcastlemaking kits to toiletries and board games.

T

LANGKAWI’S HIDDEN COVES were also a HAVEN for PIRATES who RULED the TURQUOISE

waters of the

ANDAMAN SEA.

The Kids for All Seasons programme is a complimentary kids club that, whilst based in the childrens centre, uses the entire island as its playground. If our four and six-year-old boys weren’t flying kites or playing football on the beach, they were face painting or playing local instruments (thankfully, just out of earshot of one of the three restaurants on the resort that we frequented).

WHAT TO DO

f jungle trekking and rock climbing aren’t your thing, there’s not an awful lot to do on the island. We spent an afternoon on bikes riding through the rubber plantations and paddy fields, stopping briefly to watch the fishermen return with their catch at the village of Kuala Teriang.

I

The Mangrove and Eagle Safari (an excursion organised through the Four Seasons) was a particular hit with the kids. In 2007 it was declared southeast Asia’s first UNESCO World Geopark.

550 million years of geological history have created an exciting natural habitat for walking fish, fiddler crabs, majestic eagles and kites, coiled snakes, otters and monitor lizards. It’s an ancient maze of limestone cliffs and tangled mangroves - a nature experience straight out of National Geographic, and we loved it.

The kids fell in love with the mischievous macaque monkeys!

If you want to get the best views of the island, you should head to the cable car at the foot of the Machincang mountains.

Whilst on board the dizzyingly steep ascent you will see the Telaga waterfall and, if you’re lucky, hornbills and eagles. By the time we got to the top the cloud had moved in, but we still had a stunning panoramic view of Kedah and southern Thailand.

One of the most beautiful places on the island is the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden, a fifteen minute walk through the jungle. According to legend, a celestial princess married a mortal prince and gave birth to a baby, which died soon after. Heartbroken, she buried the baby in the lake, and before returning to her celestial home, she blessed the lake so that any maiden who wishes to conceive and who bathes there would become pregnant. It didn’t deter my wife who, as far as I am aware, isn’t pregnant. u

● The Details

Original Travel (www.originaltravel.co.uk /020 3582 4990) offers 7 nights at the Four Seasons Langkawi for 2 adults and 2 kids in a family beach house on a B&B basis with flights from the UK in economy and airport transfers: £10,995. fourseasons.com/langkawi

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NOVEMBER 2014

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Property Absolutely

November 2 0 14

> IN THEIR OWN WORDS p.138 PRIME PURCHASE p. 132 NEWS p.148 LIVING THE DREAM p.168 LUXURIOUS LETTINGS p. 164

Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill W11

Guide Price ÂŁ5,500,000 Freehold

An imposing stucco fronted four bedroom family home offering approximately 3,300 sq ft of well proportioned accommodation in the heart of Notting Hill. EPC Rating: E.

020 7371 1111

gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

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Opening doors in London since 1856 From the moment you walk through one of our doors, you’ll only deal with someone who lives and breathes your local property market.

Someone who knows exactly which buttons to press to sell or let your home. And someone who understands that determination and integrity will open more doors for you than any other approach.

So why not visit one of our 22 London offices? As we’ve been saying since 1856, our door’s always open...

marshandparsons.co.uk

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Local know-how. Better results.

Askew Road

Bishops Park

Clapham

Hammersmith

Marylebone & Mayfair

Richmond

Balham

Brook Green

Earls Court

Holland Park

North Kensington

South Kensington

Barnes

Camden

East Sheen

Kensington

Notting Hill

Battersea

Chelsea

Fulham

Little Venice

Pimlico & Westminster

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Follow us on Twitter: @marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons

LETTINGS

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Durham Terrace W2 £1,645,000 A wonderful opportunity to acquire a raised ground and lower ground floor maisonette with a garden, located in this hugely popular enclave of Notting Hill. The current layout boasts a fabulous open plan reception/dining room, a well-appointed kitchen overlooking the garden, a WC and a hallway leading directly to the garden. The lower floor comprises a large master bedroom and a second double bedroom, both of which are en suite. Leasehold. EPC=D. Sole Agents.

NOTTING HILL: 020 7313 2890 sales.not@marshandparsons.co.uk

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carterjonas.co.uk Offices throughout the UK

HOLLAND PARK Norland Square Mansions W11 A spacious apartment located on the first floor of this popular portered block in Holland Park.

The flat has been refurbished tastefully throughout and has a beautiful outlook onto Norland Square.

Reception room • Bedroom • Bathroom Kitchen • Balcony • Access to communal gardens • EPC rating C

Guide price £825,000 Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

View this property now on mobile or desktop devices cjview.me/ahp33

WEST KENSINGTON Fitzgeorge Avenue W14 A good sized apartment on the ground floor of this popular residential block. Comprising approximately 869 sq ft the apartment needs refurbishing to make a superb home.

Reception room • 2 bedrooms • Bathroom Kitchen • EPC rating D

Guide price £730,000 Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

View this property now on mobile or desktop devices cjview.me/ahp31

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NOTTING HILL Lansdowne Crescent W11

A large Grade II listed Victorian house on the terraced outer side of this elegant crescent.

Holland Park & Notting Hill

3 reception rooms • 7 bedrooms 4 bathrooms • Patio • Terrace Communal gardens

JSA Knight Frank Notting Hill 020 7229 0229

Guide price £8,100,000

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020 7371 1111 gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

View this property now on mobile or desktop devices cjview.me/ahp32

15/10/2014 10:53

PROPERTY | ELITE LIVING

Prime Purchase VENDOR ADVICE

How much value would a basement conversion add to my property?

F

irst and foremost, any extra sq ft is going to be a positive step to your home. The added value really comes down to the cost of the basement dig out versus the local property prices. Speaking from Notting Hill, it would make viable sense to create more space from a basement conversion which can be used in a number of ways. In most cases, price per sq ft is always going to be higher than the cost of the conversion.

It is also important to consider that the size of the property is relatively comparable to other properties on the road, rather than becoming the largest house on the street.

MADDIE LEWINGTON

Associate Director at Douglas & Gordon, Notting Hill

020 7727 7777; douglasandgordon.com

How much value does it add to my property if I live in a school catchment area?

An impressive stucco fronted family house arranged over five floors in this prime and sought after location.

T

he property has been beautifully renovated to a very high standard with the perfect balance between modern innovative design and period charm. This beautiful home benefits from spacious rooms and ample living space with fantastic natural light throughout. On the raised ground floor a versatile dining room opens into a great kitchen/breakfast room with access directly onto the west facing rear garden. A formal reception on the first floor spans the depth of the building and the floor above is dedicated to a generous interior designed master bedroom suite. The property further

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comprises of three bathrooms and a separate WC, study, four further bedrooms, utility room, a family room and a storage room. There is also access from the rear of the property onto Bridstow Place, a quiet leafy lane.

Hereford Road is a very attractive tree lined street running to the north of Westbourne Grove.

A

lthough it’s hard to quantify an exact percentage as every area and school is different, a report in 2012 by Zoopla stated that properties near the 100 top state secondary schools in England could command up to 25% more than the average. Because properties in the catchment area of a good school are in more demand, it’s a safe bet to say they’ll be more expensive. Although it may be more costly to buy in these areas, it can be win-win for parents; they have invested their money in a property and saved on potential private school fees.

SAM ALLPORT

Hereford Road, W2 £6,100,000 Freehold Chestertons, Notting Hill 020 3040 8585; chestertons.com

Associate Director Sales at Mountgrange Heritage, Notting Hill 020 7221 2277; mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

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Katrina Phillips

Jeremy Montagu-Williams

Owner, Katrina Phillips Interiors

Dedicated Flats Team Agent

Some Others to Notting Hill sell flats. folk were born to style.

Alas, Jeremy’s in the second bracket.

But fortunately for you, he’s extraordinarily good at it. As part of the only dedicated flats team in Notting Hill, he knows his market and offers an unparalleled service. So if you’re longing to hang a Bamileke tribe juju hat, speak to Katrina, but if you’re looking to buy or sell, Jeremy’s your man.

303 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2QA 0207 221 1111 | struttandparker.com

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facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Ladbroke Grove, W11 £1,250,000 Share of Freehold Ladbroke Square, W11 £1,350,000 Share of Freehold

A charming flat with communal garden views and access.

A spacious flat eligible for access to communal gardens.

743 sq ft (69 sq m), EPC: D Drawing Room | Kitchen | Bedroom | Bathroom | Parking

1,012 sq ft (94 sq m), EPC: C Reception room | Dining room | Kitchen | Two bedrooms | Courtyard

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

Holland Park Avenue, W11

£1,995,000 Leasehold

Ladbroke Grove, W11 £825,000 Share of Freehold

An outstanding flat with a 60 ft private garden.

A raised ground floor flat with access to communal gardens.

1,260 sq ft (117 sq m), EPC: E Drawing/dining room | Kitchen | Two bedrooms | Two bathrooms

623 sq ft (57.9 sq m), EPC: E Drawing room | Kitchen | Bedroom | Bathroom | Study

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

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Hereford Road, W2

£699,950 Leasehold Chepstow Villas, W11 £2,495,000 Share of Freehold

An immaculate flat moments from Notting Hill Gate.

A three bedroom flat with a resident porter and lift.

614 sq ft (57 sq m), EPC: D Reception/kitchen | Two bedrooms | Bathroom | Shower room | Patio

1,417 sq ft (131.6 sq m), EPC: E Drawing room | Kitchen/dining room | Three bedrooms | Two bathrooms

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

Inverness Terrace, W2

Ladbroke Grove, W11

£725,000 Share of Freehold

£760,000 Leasehold

A beautiful and well presented first floor flat.

A first floor flat with a west facing balcony.

624 sq ft (58 sq m), EPC: D Reception / Dining Room | Kitchen | Mezzanine level | Shower room

538 sq ft (50 sq m), EPC: D Reception room | One bedroom | Bathroom | Communal gardens

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

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struttandparker.com

Holland Park Road, Holland Park, W14

An outstanding and beautifully presented three bedroom house occupying 1,300 sq ft over three floors only with the benefit of a south-facing garden and off street parking.

JSA: Knight Frank 0207 938 4311

Dukes Lane, Kensington, W8

Price Upon Application Freehold

1,300 sq ft (120 sq m) Drawing room | Kitchen/dining room | Three bedrooms | Bathroom | En suite shower room | Garden | Balcony | Off street parking | EPC rating C

Kensington 020 7938 3666 Kensington@struttandparker.com

Price Upon Application Freehold

Undemised flat roof

A very special four bedroom house, occupying 1,477 sq ft over four floors, with a wonderful south-facing garden and terrace.

1,477 sq ft (137.2 sq m) Drawing room | Dining room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Four bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Shower room | South-facing terrace | South-facing garden | EPC rating D

Kensington 020 7938 3666 Kensington@struttandparker.com

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Lansdowne Rise, Notting Hill, W11

A four bedroom family house ideally situated on this quiet residential street which lies on the border of Notting Hill and Holland Park.

£1,500 per week* Furnished

1,844 sq ft (171.3 sq m) 1,995 sq ft (185.3 sq m) including Garage Reception | Eat–in Kitchen | Master bedroom suite | Three further bedrooms | Bathroom | Garden| Roof Terrace | Garage | EPC rating: E

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111 Nottinghill@struttandparker.com

*The following Tenant charges may apply prior to tenancy commencement: Tenancy Agreement £210 (inc VAT) Credit References per application £54 (inc VAT). All advertised prices are excluded and other associated services.

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Kate Flynn

Associate Director at Bective Leslie Marsh, Notting Hill

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Photography: rebecca noonan

aving worked for Bective Leslie Marsh in the area for more than eight years, and been a local resident for over four, I can safely say why I love it here. The diverse range of residents, from the artists through to city workers mean that everyday is different and the area, as well my job, is never boring.

My main passion is travel and my love of scuba diving has taken me far and wide - most recently I’ve visited the Maldives and Thailand, and I’ve booked to go to Mexico at Christmas, all in the pursuit of a good dip. No matter how far I go, however, I always look forward to coming home to Notting Hill. It has a laid-back atmosphere, which is usually hard to find in such a centrally located London area, and it suits me down to the ground. I love all the food and wine shops, as I tend to spend my weekends cooking, especially for my friends. Fuelling my domesticity are shops such as Mr Christians & Jeroboams on Elgin Crescent, Ottolenghi on Ledbury Road, the street food at Acklam Village and Market and Ceramic Blue on Blenheim Crescent, which does great kitchen and home ware.

I find Notting Hill is popular with tenants for multiple reasons – it has an excellent range of schools that pulls families from far and wide.

From Wetherby and Notting Hill Prep to La Petite Ecole Française and Instituto Español Cañada Blanch, the teaching and resources available are outstanding. There’s also a brilliant range of properties available and the vast number of communal gardens offer families the space they need for energetic children and a

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ready made community on their doorstep.

You can also find many young professionals in Notting Hill. The restaurants and bars will look after you late into the night and the vast array of cafes for lazy brunches (Mike’s Café on Blenheim is excellent) will ease the pain the morning after! There are plenty of stylish clothes and boutique furniture shops for weekend shopping trips, as well as the Electric Cinema for date nights or films with friends.

Notting Hill is likewise a great place to invest for landlords looking for a safe investment. It’s well known by both local and international tenants, and the amenities of the area and links to the city will always draw in good quality applicants. These applicants recognise quality so are willing to pay a premium to receive it. The demand is always here, so as long as you price your property correctly you can ensure very little void periods on your investment. Much for the same reason, Notting Hill is also highly popular with purchasers; historically the sales market has remained good and capital appreciation attractive, so if the time ever came to sell your investment on, it would be a very safe bet indeed.

Having experienced the changing markets over the years, I have grown and evolved with the area. I like to believe my knowledge is second to none, please do come in and test me sometime!

020 7243 7124; bective.co.uk

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PROPERTY | PROFILE

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You may know us from walking your dog, local charity events or simply recognise a familiar face.

Because many of our agents live where they work, they really understand what matters to buyers and sellers there. And because people know us, time and again we are able to sell and let properties more quickly and at a better price than anyone else.

BOB CROWLEY A S S O C I AT E D I R E C T O R

Bob has pounded the streets of Notting Hill as an estate agent for over thirteen years and in that time has witnessed first-hand the rise and rise of Notting Hill. Without ever losing his hunger for closing the deal, Bob has also managed to become a bit of a connoisseur of the area’s cultural and gastronomic favourites; whether that’s the full english breakfast at Mike’s Cafe or Thai food and a glass of something cold at the Walmer Castle.

C H E L S E A 0 2 0 7 5 8 9 6 67 7 — K E N S I N G T O N 0 2 0 7 7 9 5 42 8 8 N O T T I N G H I L L 0 2 0 7 2 2 1 4 8 0 5 — L A D B R O K E G R O V E 0 2 0 7 2 2 1 0 3 3 0 — B R O O K G R E E N 0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1 L A N D & N E W H O M E S 0 2 0 7 3 1 3 7 7 1 1 — P R O P E R T Y M A N A G E M E N T 0 2 0 7 2 2 1 0 0 9 9 — C O M M E R C I A L 0 2 0 7 9 8 5 07 1 5 W W W. B EC TIVE .CO.U K FIND US ON

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P H OTO G R A P H S BY T I M CO L E W W W.TI M - CO LE .CO M

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Heavenly Views SUTHERL AND PL ACE NOTTING HILL W2

A charming family house set in the heart of Artesian Village offering a wonderful opportunity for improvement. The property boasts flexible living accommodation and is currently arranged with a separate self contained flat, with own private entrance, at the lower ground level. Highlights include a grand first floor double reception with balcony and a raised ground floor kitchen/dining room.

5 B E D R O O M S , 3 B AT H R O O M S ( 1 E N S U I T E ) , D O U B L E D R AW I N G R O O M , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N , KITCHENETTE , CLOAKROOM , FRONT GARDEN , REAR GARDEN .

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FREEHOLD ÂŁ3,250,000 BOB CROWLEY BC@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 4805

2 1 6 SQ M / 2 , 325 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G E

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CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

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Artesian Delight MOORHOUSE ROAD NOTTING HILL W2

A handsome period house occupying an enviable position at the southern end of Moorhouse Road.

The property is triple aspect, ensuring a flow of natural light throughout and offering charming views of the surrounding streets. It also has well proportioned private gardens to front and rear. Internally, this beautiful home offers an abundance of entertaining space and generous sleeping accommodation.

5 B E D R O O M S , 2 B AT H R O O M S , 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S , K I TC H E N / D I N I N G R O O M , U T I L I T Y R O O M , CLOAKROOM , GARDEN .

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FREEHOLD ÂŁ3,750,000 BOB CROWLEY BC@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 4805

22 0 SQ M / 2 , 3 6 8 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G F

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A Hidden Gem O PA L M E W S Q U E E N ’ S PA R K N W 6

An exquisite collection of new townhouses discreetly hidden within a quiet gated mews offering unparalleled levels of interior design and secure off-street parking, ideally located near Queen’s Park and only 6 tube stops from Bond Street. Thoughtfully designed for modern living with spectacular natural light, volume and sustainable design features.

3 - 6 B E D RO O M S , E N S U ITE B ATH RO O M S , E N S U ITE S H OW E R RO O M S , R E C E P TI O N / K ITC H E N / D I N I N G R O O M , CO M M U N A L GA R D E N , O F F S T R E E T PA R K I N G .

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FREEHOLD £1 , 50 0,0 0 0 - £2 ,80 0,0 0 0 NEWHOMES@BECTIVE.CO.UK NEW HOMES OFFICE 020 7313 7703

2 ,0 0 5 - 3 , 6 0 0 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G C

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CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

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Park Life C H E V E N I N G R OA D Q U E E N ’ S PA R K N W 6

An attractive semi-detached Victorian villa enviably located on the top corner of Queen’s Park. The property is a charming family home opposite the park and with a fabulous private garden but would further benefit from a degree of modernization and offers scope for expansion subject to planning. Chevening Road borders Queen’s Park and runs east off Chamberlayne Road and west of Salisbury Road.

5 B E D R O O M S , 2 B AT H R O O M S ( 1 E N S U I T E ) , C LOA K R O O M , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N , D I N I N G A R E A , FRONT & REAR GARDEN.

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F R E E H O L D £ 2 ,9 5 0 , 0 0 0 M AT T H E W M A R C H A N T MM@BECTIVE.CO.UK LADBROKE GROVE OFFICE 020 7221 0330

23 6 SQ M / 2 , 5 43 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G E J SA SAV I LL S

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Period Charm ST. CHARLES SQUARE NORTH KENSINGTON W1 0

UNFURNISHED £2 ,750 PER WEEK

An impressive detached period house which has been sympathetically refurbished maintaining many original features, including cornicing, feature fireplaces and stained glass windows. 5 bedrooms, dressing room, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), 3 en suite shower rooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/dining room, cloakroom, kitchenette, utility room, wine cellar, garden. EPC Rating E.

K A T E F LY N N KF@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 5388

Superior Design Q U E E N ’ S GAT E M E WS S O U T H K E N S I N GTO N S W 7

U N F U R N I S H E D £ 2 , 70 0 P E R W E E K

A luxurious interior designed House within this popular mews in South Kensington. Refurbished to the highest standard, this elegant property offers a PoggenPohl kitchen, with stone heated flooring in the kitchen and dining area, hardwood floors throughout and garage. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room, kitchen, dining room, cloakroom, garage. EPC Rating E.

F R A N C E S C A F O R T U N AT I

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FF@BECTIVE.CO.UK KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

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CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

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Classic Comfort OA K WO O D CO U R T H O L L A N D PA R K W 1 4

U N F U R N I S H E D £2 ,1 0 0 P E R WE E K

A substantial newly decorated 4th floor (with lift) apartment within this extremely popular Edwardian portered mansion block in Holland Park. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 en suite), 2 reception rooms, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, dressing room, balcony, lift, porter, communal gardens. EPC Rating D.

F R A N C E S C A FO R T U N ATI FF@BECTIVE.CO.UK KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

Immaculate Presentation B OY N E TE R R AC E M EWS N OT TI N G H I LL W 1 1

UNFURNISHED £1,895 PER WEEK

A contemporary mews house finished to an exacting standard throughout. The reception room has solid oak flooring and double patio doors leading onto a large patio garden, and further boasts a high specification kitchen/dining room. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, patio garden, garage. EPC Rating G.

K A T E F LY N N

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KF@BECTIVE.CO.UK NOTTING HILL OFFICE 020 7221 5388

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Property News Lansdowne Crescent, W11

HOUSE HUNTING

with...

GARETH JONES Partner at Carter Jonas, Holland Park 020 7471 9833; carterjonas.co.uk

Property I’d most like on my books and why... I have always been fascinated by Aubrey House on Hillgate Road. The house was built on the site of a medicinal spring in the late 17th century and has two acres of gardens.

Best place to invest... The best place to invest remains within Prime Central London - I have worked in this market for nearly 20 years and I have seen the most remarkable gains in the value of property with any drops being very minor and temporary.

The most interesting property I have been involved in is... This has to be our recent

Kensington at a glance MATTHEW HARROP Director at John D Wood & Co., Kensington 020 3151 6148; johndwood.co.uk

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T

here are some good buyers actively looking at the moment.

Those looking for a home are willing to pay the guide price or close to it to secure a property that is right for them. On the other hand, those who view buying a property as an investment first and a home second are more cautious and some seem to be waiting to see how the market performs in the New Year. This is good news for buyers as there is finally

sale of a house on Orme Square (guide price £17m) which was on the market for the first time in 63 years and has a huge music room which used to be Lord Leighton’s studio.

The toughest sale and why... A house in Holland Park where, for complex legal reasons, the sale took over 10 months to exchange.

Finest property showcase... We have a very special house on Lansdowne Crescent which I love - it has a wonderful elevated position on the communal gardens with amazing views from the upper floors. a greater choice for them and we have an excellent selection of properties available for them to see at John D Wood & Co.

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PROPERTY | ROUND UP

The INSIDE SCOOP of NEWS in your area What Non-resident property investors need to know for 2015

Sales Manager at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Holland Park 020 3542 2111; kfh.co.uk

SALAR MAJNOUNI

Managing Director at Prime Realty 020 7148 1109; prime-realty.co

W

e have been inundated with clients looking for clarification on the new capital gains legislation coming in to effect in 2015. From April 2015, the UK government will be introducing Capital Gains Taxes on property owned by Non UK residents for the first time. This would mean that all property owned by Non-residents (unless the property is used for children and/or student accommodation, care or communal accommodation which are exempt) would be liable to pay 18% up to 28% Capital Gains Tax at the time of sale of their UK property, however, non-resident property owners would only be liable for this tax on gains made after the April 2015 introduction and would not be back taxed from when the property was bought.

RUPERT COLLINGWOOD

Founder & Managing Director at The London Management Company 020 7193 5580; thelondonmanagementcompany.com

I

t would seem that at last the political class has woken up to problems of implementing a Mansion Tax. Of course, true to form, the Labour Party still believe it’s a vote winner, more focused than ever before on tax and spend to sure up their core vote. Miliband and Balls are (at the time of writing) sticking rigidly to their conference pledge despite the protests of their own MP’s and “Labour Grandees”.

Naturally we are assured that measures will be put in place to prevent the vulnerable being forced out of the family home of 40 years, and that thankfully you might be

H

olland Park has seen an increase of 20% year on year in the number of properties coming onto the market. Key influencing factors are the pending changes to capital gains tax laws and the strong possibility of a ‘mansion tax’ on properties worth over £2 million. Although there are fewer Europeans buying this year as a result of the Pound strengthening 8% against the Euro in the past 12 months, there is still a healthy influx of active buyers from the Middle East and South East Asia, while interest from local, cash rich buyers looking for unmodernised properties, is still strong.

able to defer payments until after you die; great news for those of us keen to leave our children in debt thanks to good planning and sensible property investments.

The Lib Dems whose idea this was in the first place have watched the fall out from the Labour conference and for once, faced with the real prospect of having to actually deliver an election pledge, have revised their position, moving away from a mansion tax towards the review of council tax bands.

Now although I’m not in favour of increasing council tax, it’s clear that the bandings are no longer fit for purpose.

Might there then be a way of creating a more proportional system of property taxation, that on the one hand appeases those who think everyone who owns a 2 bed flat in South Ken is an evil oil baron, and on the other supports aspiration and the generation of wealth, all the while moderately increasing tax revenue for local authorities to improve infrastructure and services for all?

149 NEWS.indd 147

5

SIMON CORRINGHAM

MINUTES with...

FAWAZ OTMANI

Senior Negotiator at Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, Hyde Park 020 7402 9866; brlets.co.uk

Why this area?

Notting Hill has really broad appeal.

There are beautiful period conversions as well as fabulous new developments like Portobello Square.

What is your company ethos?

Our company is largely defined by the people, both staff and customers. Letting property only makes sense if it’s the right property in the right place at the right price for the right people so satisfying customers is always at the forefront of our business.

What properties are you most excited about having on your books?

3 Merchant Square (pictured below), a new development in Paddington Basin is a clear favourite. Apartments are spacious and high spec and we’ve had huge interest.

What do you predict for the property market in autumn/winter 2014?

The market has exceeded expectations recently. I expect it to slow a little after November, giving tenants a wider choice of properties, although we never seem to have enough housing stock to meet demand.

NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 15:22

Kensington

ÂŁ2,950 pw Unfurnished

4 Bedrooms | Reception | 3 Bathrooms | Period Apartment Near Hyde Park | Close To Tube & Amenities | EPC- D Kensington 020 3302 5674 kens@brlets.co.uk

Eleven offices open six days a week Monday - Saturday Beaufort Park | Canary Wharf | City | Ealing | Greenwich | Hampstead | Highgate | Hyde Park | Imperial Wharf | Kensington | Knightsbridge Additional charges apply: Tenancy Agreement, Credit Check & Inventory Report. For details visit www.brlets.co.uk/tenantinfo

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London’s Letting Agency

To arrange a viewing or for more information call

info@brlets.co.uk www.brlets.co.uk

020 7319 9783

Kensington

£550 pw Unfurnished

Notting Hill Borders

£600 pw Furnished

1 Bedroom | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment Lift | Balcony | Tube Closeby | EPC – D Kensington 020 3302 5674 kens@brlets.co.uk

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment Balcony | Tube & Amenities Nearby | EPC – C Kensington 020 3302 5674 kens@brlets.co.uk

Paddington

Hyde Park

£900 pw Furnished

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment Parking | Close To Tube | EPC – B | Sole Agents Hyde Park 020 3417 3703 hyde@brlets.co.uk

£1,850 pw Furn/Unfurnished

4 Bedrooms | Reception | 3 Bathrooms | Apartment Balcony | Near Park | Near Tube & Amenities | EPC – D Hyde Park 020 3417 3703 hyde@brlets.co.uk

Dubai | Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

BENHAM_REEVES.indd 2

17/10/2014 16:12

Completely at home in West London.

Our services Sales and Lettings Property Management Block Management Property Solicitors Chartered Surveyors Financial Services Visit kfh.co.uk

With over 35 years’ experience and 50 branches across the Capital, our local knowledge and London network will ensure we achieve the right result for you.

Our dedicated West London branches include • Bayswater • Holland Park

KFH.indd 1 brand adverts_September October.indd 2 KFH MASTER

15/10/2014 09:33 10:55 24/07/2014

Strathearn Place, Hyde Park Estate, W2 £2,650,000 Bayswater 020 7724 1222 Email sbw@kfh.co.uk

KFH.indd 11.14 KFH 2 Nottinghill.indd 2

An elegant three bedroom, two bathroom apartment, that has been refurbished to provide a high end finish. Situated on the top floor of a stunning white stucco fronted building, moments from Hyde Park and trendy Connaught.

• • • • • • •

Three bedrooms Two bathrooms (one en suite) One reception room Guest cloakroom Lift Leasehold EPC rating D

10:55 15/10/2014 08:51

Ledbury Mews West, Notting Hill, W11 £2,300,000 Holland Park 020 3542 2111 Email shp@kfh.co.uk

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A charming three bedroom house with a garage, off street parking and the potential for extension (subject to planning permission). Situated in a quiet, cobbled private mews.

• • • • •

Three bedrooms Two bathrooms Garage Off street parking Extension potential (subject to planning permission)

• Freehold • EPC rating E

10:55 15/10/2014 08:51

Porchester Terrace, Bayswater, W2 £6,132 pcm Bayswater 020 7563 5090 Email lbw@kfh.co.uk

A stunning three bedroom apartment finished to a very high standard with three bathrooms, two balconies, good storage and 24 hour porter.

Located in a sought after building facing Hyde Park.

• • • • • • • •

Three bedrooms Three bathrooms Two balconies Air conditioning Wood flooring throughout 24 hour porter service Furnished EPC rating B

£210 tenancy agreement fee per property. Other fees apply, visit kfh.co.uk/lettingsfees

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10:55 15/10/2014 08:52

ABBOTSBURY ROAD, W14 A spacious and modern family house, close to Holland Park and benefiting from off-street parking, a west facing garden and a separate studio/staff flat with kitchenette and shower room. Approx 2,816 sq ft. Energy Rating: C. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, dressing room, 2 receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, study, garden, separate studio/staff flat.

Freehold Guide Price £5,250,000

ABBOTSBURY ROAD, W14 A beautifully presented townhouse arranged over three floors, situated at the northern end of this popular and pretty street that runs along the side of Holland Park. Approx. 1,414 sq ft. Energy Rating: E. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), 2 reception rooms, cloakroom, terrace, garage.

Lease to 2151 Guide Price £2,350,000

johndwood.co.uk

HOLLAND PARK 020 3151 6255 hollandpark@johndwood.co.uk SOLD

North End House, W14

SOLD

Guide £1,400,000 St James’s Gardens, W11

SOLD

Guide £5,650,000 Holland Park Avenue, W11

7 offices in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea:

JDW_NH.indd 1 Absolutely Kensington Nov14 1

SOLD

Guide £1,150,000 Woodsford Square, W14

Guide £3,100,000

Chelsea (2), Holland Park, Kensington (2), Ladbroke Grove, South Kensington.

17/10/2014 16/10/2014 14:12 17:19

ARGYLL ROAD, W8 An impressive and immaculately presented period family house with many features including a beautifully proportioned formal drawing room and dining room. Situated in the heart of the Phillimore Estate, close to Holland Park and Kensington Gardens, with High Street Kensington and Notting Hill Gate nearby. Approx. 3,861 sq ft. Energy Rating: D. 5/6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, study/bedroom 6, utility room, 2 cloakrooms, garden.

Freehold Guide Price £9,200,000

johndwood.co.uk

KENSINGTON 020 3151 6269 kensington@johndwood.co.uk SOLD

Farm Cottage, W8

SOLD

Guide £3,250,000 Abingdon Road, W8

SOLD

Guide £895,000 Palace Gardens Terrace, W8

7 offices in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea:

JDW_NH.indd 2 Absolutely Kensington Nov14 2

SOLD

Guide £7,000,000 Phillimore Terrace, W8

Guide £10,000,000

Chelsea (2), Holland Park, Kensington (2), Ladbroke Grove, South Kensington.

17/10/2014 16/10/2014 14:13 17:19

WESTBOURNE PARK ROAD, W2 A wonderful double-fronted semi-detached house flooded with natural light. The property benefits from high ceilings, ornate mouldings, intricate panelling, wooden flooring and numerous elegant period features. There is potential to extend over the kitchen (STPP). Approx. 2,939 sq ft. Energy Rating: D. 4/5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, utility room, 2 cloakrooms, conservatory/dining room, patio garden.

Freehold Guide Price ÂŁ4,750,000

020 3151 6283

136a Lancaster Road, London W11 1QU ladbrokegrove@johndwood.co.uk www.johndwood.co.uk

JDW_NH.indd 3 Absolutely Kensington Nov14 5

20/10/2014 20/10/2014 15:41 15:31

NO ONE LOVES NOTTING HILL LIKE ROLLO

Meet Rollo Miles who runs our Ladbroke Grove sales office. Having grown up in Notting Hill and with 16 years property experience, Rollo has a great love of the area and a detailed knowledge of the moving process. If you’re considering selling or letting in and around Notting Hill, Rollo and his team are here to help.

Sales & Lettings 020 3151 6283

johndwood.co.uk/rollo

JDW_NH.indd 4 Absolutely Kensington Nov14 4

17/10/2014 16/10/2014 14:13 17:21

020 7328 2828 62 Salusbury Road, NW6 6NS www.queensparkpartnership.co.uk

EPC - D

KESLAKE ROAD, NW6

£1,999,999 Freehold

A charming 4 bedroom semi-detached period house in one of the areas prime roads.

The property boasts a 27’ double reception room, a 23’ extended kitchen/diner opening onto a sunny rear garden. Keslake Road is a cul-de-sac situated by Queens Park and also within easy reach of both Chamberlayne Road and Salusbury Road.

• Well-presented family home • Converted loft with en-suite • 45’ Private rear garden • Great location close to park

EPC - E

GLENGALL ROAD, NW6

£1,195,000 Freehold

This newly refurbished 3 bedroom mid terraced period house comprises of 3 double bedrooms. Benefits include wood floors, double glazed windows and plenty of storage.

Glengall Road is situated within easy reach to the bustling Salusbury Road with its selection of shopping, eateries, transport and recreational facilities.

• Double reception room • Large kitchen/diner • 20’ Rear garden • Completely refurbished

Follow us on twitter @QPPartnership

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17/10/2014 14:36

EPC - D

CHEVENING ROAD, NW6

£795,000 Leasehold

A spacious 2 double bedroom apartment on the first (top) floor of a converted period property. The flat boasts period features and a modern fitted kitchen & bathroom.

The flat is located close to Chamberlayne Road with its eclectic mix of bars, eateries, numerous transport links and the wide open spaces of Queens Park are nearby

• 790 SQFT, 2 Double bedrooms • Period features, Good storage • Modern kitchen & bathroom • Close to Chamberlayne Road

EPC - D

HANOVER ROAD, NW10

£700,000 Leasehold

A split level apartment set on the first and attic floors of this converted older style property. The flat has been recently redecorated and boasts 3 double bedrooms, a modern kitchen and bathroom. Situated on a quiet residential road within easy reach to all transport, shopping and recreational facilities of the popular Chamberlayne Road.

• 3 Double bedrooms • Split level flat, 960 SQFT • Recently redecorated • Quiet road close to amenities

Follow us on twitter @QPPartnership

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275 Willesden Lane, Willesden Green, London, NW2 5JA Tel: 020 8459 1133 Fax: 020 8451 2008 enquiries@cameronsstiff.co.uk www.cameronsstiff.co.uk

EPC - D

Furness Road, NW10

£675,000 Leasehold

Split level First Floor flat situated in this converted property

•

3 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms

spanning 1375 sq ft of internal accommodation in the popular

•

Large master bedroom with en-suite on S/F

area of Kensal Green close to excellent transport links into

•

Large reception room + fireplace & bay windows

London. Lots of exciting features worth viewing.

•

Separate fitted kitchen/diner with lots of light

EPC - D

Dollis Hill Lane, NW10

£869,950 Freehold

Lovingly restored by the vendors and full of its own unique

•

4 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, large loft

character is this spacious semi-detached family home with

•

Fully fitted kitchen with granite work surfaces

views over London offering plenty of lateral living space.

•

Family room with bi folding doors onto terrace

Situated on wide tree lined road close to Gladstone Park.

•

3 tiered garden, garage & parking for 4 cars

www.cameronsstiff.co.uk

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EPC - D

Walm Lane, NW2

£2,895,000 Freehold

Situated on the Mapesbury Conservation Area is this

•

7 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, 5 bathrooms

completely remodelled detached family home that benefits

•

Contemporary style open plan kitchen

from one of the largest south facing gardens in the area &

•

103 ft garden, Off street parking

generous sized living space.

•

Lutron lighting, underfloor heating, d/g

EPC - D

Alexander Avenue, NW10

£2,199,500 Freehold

Impressively refurbished to an exceptionally high standard

•

32ft kitchen/breakfast room with bi folding doors

is this modern detached home arranged over 3 floors and

•

63ft landscaped rear garden with large terrace

offering a sophisticated home of over 3000 sq ft of perfect

•

2 large reception rooms, study & utility room

lateral living space - ideal for entertaining.

•

5 bedrooms, 3 en-suite bathrooms & family bathroom

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16/10/2014 16:41

PROPERTY | ASPIRATIONAL APARTMENT

Luxurious Lettings LOWDOWN FOR LANDLORDS

How has the demographic in your area changed over the last five years?

C

amerons Stiff Lettings, as the original local Estate Agent of Willesden Green, has seen a lot of change in the area, especially over the last five years.

With a number of unused and unloved buildings either giving way to more modern developments incorporating their existing use, such as Willesden Green Library or transforming them into a more usable community & public space, such as the recent Metropolitan Court development. With all this change to the fabric of the local area comes a natural change in the demographic, introducing not just wealthier professionals into the midst but also changing the mindset of others and making for a better community feel, ie. The Mapesbury Dell, the new local park run by the community.

A meticulously refurbished and extended 5 bedroom Victorian house

W

ith excellent living/ entertaining space, garden and roof terrace, this home also has excellent views over Brook Green. The ground floor has been opened up from front to back with reception 1 to the front which opens into the kitchen to the middle and the full width reception 2/family room overlooking the garden. The lower ground floor has been fully excavated to create a wonderful full width media room, double bedroom with built in cupboards, shower room, utility room and ample storage throughout. The

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first floor half landing has a double bedroom and bathroom, whilst the first floor is dedicated to the master suite of double bedroom, dressing room and en suite bathroom. There is a private decked roof terrace off the second floor half landing and 2 further double bedrooms and bathroom occupy the second floor.

PHILIP JOHAL

Brook Green, W6 ÂŁ2,100 Per Week Finlay Brewer, Brook Green 020 7371 4171; finlaybrewer.co.uk

020 8450 9377; cameronsstiff.co.uk

Lettings Manager at Camerons Stiff & Co.

164 20/10/2014 16:10

Since 1958 Sales. Lettings. Property Management

To let

Regents Park Road, NW1

To let

£380 pw Queensway, W2

In the heart of Primrose Hill, this charming one double bedroom apartment is on the 2nd floor of a period building.

Accommodation comprises an open plan living/kitchen area; quiet, rear facing bedroom; shower room and plenty of built in storage space. EPC rating C. Furnished.

Fees apply

Newly refurbished, one double bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor of an immaculate period conversion. Exceptionally bright throughout, the accommodation consists of a rear facing double bedroom, spacious open plan living/kitchen area and shower room. EPC rating C. Furnished.

Fees apply

For sale

St Petersburgh Place, W2

For sale

£920,000 Hormead Road, W9

Beautifully presented two bedroom flat situated on the 7th floor (with lift) of this popular, portered mansion block. The spacious accommodation comprises entrance hall, bright reception, kitchen, two double bedrooms and bathroom. Benefits include: long lease, porter. EPC rating D. Leasehold

£450 pw

£475,000

Attractive two bed split-level flat situated on the 1st floor of this Victorian period building. The flat offers a south facing reception with bay window, high ceilings and fireplace; separate kitchen; two bedrooms and bathroom. The property is located close to the Grand Union Canal. EPC rating E. Leasehold

www.westways.co.uk 20 Great Western Road, London W9 3NN 020 7286 5757 | sales@westways.co.uk | rentals@westways.co.uk

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17/10/2014 12:19

PROPERTY | NEWS

GLORIOUS BEAUTY MARKS LANDMARK MILESTONE

Property Management

A

landmark milestone in the delivery of the Warwick Road masterplan was marked 22nd September 2014 with the unveiling of a striking new public sculpture in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Glorious Beauty, by renowned artist Simon Hitchens, was officially unveiled outside St Edward Homes’ 375 Kensington High Street development by the Mayor of the Royal Borough, Councillor Maighread Condon-Simmonds.

The unveiling also coincides with the start of construction for a brand new school on the site, as well as the opening of a key part of a new public linear park.

With the first residents moving in last year, 375 Kensington High Street is a new and thriving community, which has been established as part of St Edward’s £2bn regeneration project at the site. St Edward Executive Chairman, Paul Vallone said: “The unveiling of this unique piece of public art symbolises St Edward’s commitment to the regeneration of Kensington, and we are very proud with the progress of the development to date, on which we have worked closely with the Royal Borough and local community from the start.” Having been established six years ago, the Warwick Road Masterplan, encompassing 375 Kensington High Street and Kensington Row, will see the creation of more than 1,000 homes across the two developments as well as a school for over 200 pupils.

The sculpture, made of a stainless steel ‘boulder’ sitting atop a glacial boulder that has been naturally worn over time, has been designed to symbolise how the old and new combine in the modern world.

Artist Simon Hitchens said: “Glorious Beauty has been designed to contrast the transient urban world in which it is positioned.

The boulder is the metaphorical celebration of Nature and Earth, and atop sits a manmade celebration of nature’s beauty mirroring the stone boulder."

Garages To Let Clarendon Road W11 020 7938 3910

amy@jmwbarnardmanagement.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter

Connect with us on LinkedIn

020 7118 0375; berkeleygroup.co.uk JMW.inddABSOLUTELY 1 MAGAZINES

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020 7371 4171 LOCAL

.

BROOK GREEN 138 SHEPHERDS BUSH ROAD W6 7PB ASKEW ROAD 113 ASKEW ROAD W12 9AS

INDEPENDENT

.

INVOLVED CMYK

STERNDALE ROAD W14 5 DOUBLE BEDROOMS DOUBLE RECEPTION  KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM  2 EN SUITE WET ROOMS  BATHROOM 

GUEST CLOAKROOM  LARGE UTILITY/CELLAR STORAGE  WIDE WALLED GARDEN  EPC RATING E 49

GUIDE £2.75M

FREEHOLD

CEYLON ROAD W14 4/5 BEDROOMS  DOUBLE RECEPTION  FABULOUS KITCHEN/BREAKFAST/FAMILY ROOM  STUDY/BEDROOM 5 2 EN SUITE BATHROOMS  SHOWER ROOM  WESTERLY FACING GARDEN  EPC RATING C 73

GUIDE £1.85M

FREEHOLD

www.finlaybrewer.co.uk

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16/10/2014 16:04

Living the Dream The MOST LUXURIOUSLY appointed PROPERTIES on the market

Opal Mews, NW6 Opal Mews, an exclusive enclave of five contemporary mews properties in the heart of bustling NW6, has been launched to the market.

Lansdown Road, W11

£11,500,000

A truly outstanding five/six bedroom house on one of Notting Hill's finest roads.

This house is presented in immaculate condition with the benefit of being end of terrace and having direct access to wonderful communal gardens. The house has been beautifully architecturallydesigned and its position on the corner of Lansdowne Road and Rosmead Road allows for an abundance of natural light throughout. The ground floor consists almost entirely of a stunning 47ft drawing room, running the full length of the house, with views overlooking the communal

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garden at the rear. The 49ft kitchen/family room downstairs is equally impressive with double doors on to the private patio, which in turn leads on to the communal gardens.

In addition, the house has five double bedrooms, all with en suite facilities, a further study/bedroom six and play room.

Discreetly hidden in a secure and peaceful corner of London, Opal Mews has been architecturally designed to create open plan contemporary living and is finished to a precise and exacting standard. Each of the five 3-6 bedroom houses in the development excude its own distinct style and character. Whilst each property has been designed individually, all five houses benefit from spacious open plan ground floor accommodation, perfect for modern day entertaining, with flexible living space on the upper floors, Element 7 oak floors, Balthaup kitchens and underfloor heating, as well as state of the art wet rooms incorporating Hansgrohe and Duravit fixtures and fittings. The largest of the Opal Mews properties enjoys an impressive 3,600 sq ft of accommodation with the smallest being 2,090 sq ft, making them suitable for a range of buyers and are all equipped with off street parking. Opal Mews is a hidden gem, enjoying the peace and seclusion of its own enclave, yet only six stops from Bond Street.

Prices start from £1,500,000 or £717 per sq ft Bective Leslie Marsh, New Homes 020 7313 7711; bective.co.uk

Strutt & Parker Notting Hill: 020 7221 1111 Kensington: 020 7938 3666 struttandparker.com

168 20/10/2014 15:31

PROPERTY | IDEAL HOMES

SAFE AS HOUSES MATTHEW HARROP

Director of John D Wood & Co., Kensington 020 7908 1100; johndwood.co.uk

M

atthew Harrop, Director of John D Wood & Co. has worked for the Kensington branch since 2003. He is in his 25th year of working for John D Wood & Co., and previously worked in the company’s Belgravia and Fulham offices. He looks through twenty years of property details, showcasing the outstanding price increases whilst highlighting what a sound investment bricks and mortar can be.

Alexander Avenue, NW10 £2,199,500

An impressively refurbished, modern detached home. Arranged over three floors this sophisticated five bedroom house has over 3000 sq ft of lateral living space, ideal for entertaining and the demands of family life. The 32 ft kitchen/breakfast room has bifolding doors leading to a 63 ft garden and contemporary terrace.

Edwardes Place, W8 A Georgian house with self-contained flat.

1991 price: £690,000 2014 estimate: £6,750,000

Queens Park Partnership 020 7328 2828; queensparkpartnership.co.uk

Argyll Road, W8 A six bedroom house with well-proportioned rooms.

1994 price: £1,050,000 2014 estimate: £9,200,000

Russell Road, W14 £875,000 Leasehold

Pember Road, NW10 £1,300,000

A recently modernised and stunning two bedroom apartment on the second floor of this elegant period house on a quiet tree lined road. In addition to the flat having been subject to a refurbishment programme, the communal areas of the house have also been updated and redecorated.

A stylish four bedroom, mid terrace Victorian property with private garden, close to the local amenities. With a rustic feel and some contemporary touches, this impressive family home boasts a large double reception room on the ground floor with a brand new eat in kitchen leading to a well maintained private patio area.

Rickman Properties 020 7937 9777; rickmanproperties.com

Sandersons 020 7602 6725; sandersonslondon.co.uk

Spotlight on W8

Average asking price - £3,442,421 | Average asking rent - £5,308 pcm | Average property value - £2,849,954

Data provided by

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NOVEMBER 2014

20/10/2014 15:31

Smart knows what the neighbours paid.

See over 19 million sold prices

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15/10/2014 11:55 04/04/2014 15:18

A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON BUYING, RENTING AND SELLING HOMES.

BASSETT ROAD, W10 £825,000 SHARE OF FREEHOLD A classic first floor apartment on North Kensington’s most sought after street. The property offers a wonderful reception room with a large bay window and full height ceilings, a large master bedroom overlooking gardens to the rear with built in storage and an en suite bathroom and a second double bedroom.

CHESTERTON ROAD, W10 £495 PER WEEK This beautifully presented raised ground floor apartment offers two double bedrooms, a modern tiled bathroom and a south facing reception room with plenty of natural light and an attractive open plan kitchen all set within a period property.

NORTH KENSINGTON | 020 7792 5000 northkensington@winkworth.co.uk

winkworth.co.uk/north-kensington

WINKWORTH_NKEN.indd 1

Scan this code to download the Winkworth iPhone app

OFFICES IN LONDON, THE COUNTRY AND OVERSEAS. SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY

20/10/2014 17:44

PROPERTY | AGENT ADVICE

Ask the Sales Experts

Our panel of PROFESSIONALS give you the edge in the property market

1.What factors go into your valuations?

W

e will firstly discuss with the vendor the reasons why they have called in to have a valuation.

This is very important as it can have a great bearing on the value and how we approach the marketing of the property.

Having been in our office in Queens Park for over 25 years, we will offer an accurate market appraisal based on location, recent sales, comparables, current demand and existing properties available. I tell my negotiators to ask if any other agents have been called in, as we know certain agents will overvalue just to get an instruction, so one must control the vendor’s expectation from the onset.

2.Is the sales market slowing down?

T

he market is certainly slowing down from its spring high and if we had to pinpoint one main cause in Prime Central London it would be that a relatively high level of stock came on, and this is especially true of those sectors between £5m-£10m and £10m -£20m. The property market between £500k and £5m remained busy until the beginning of summer school holidays and once these are upon us it is very hard to gauge the underlying activity as London tends to empty for two months.

3.Should I take my property off the market once I have accepted an offer?

W

e recommend that a property is shown until exchange of contracts unless a buyer is able to provide a commitment in the form of a non-refundable deposit in exchange for an exclusive period facilitated by both parties lawyers. Sales are all subject to contract and so the last thing any vendor wants is to have a sale proceed for a reasonable period of time just to have the buyer pull out for any reason. Ensure that the buyer has his/ her finances in place and expect to see a survey booked for your property within a week or so. If you are satisfied with the figure you have agreed and a buyer is demanding the property be removed from the market, then allowing them a grace period of a week / 10 days to have their survey carried out is not unreasonable and will test your buyers motivation and ability to purchase whilst losing minimum marketing time.

4.How important is it to have a full survey completed?

M

ost buyers like to have a survey in order to have peace of mind that the property is structurally sound and in the

1. ALAN ISSACS

3. PAUL HYMAN

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5.How long does the average sale take to complete?

W

e aim for exchange.

A completion date can be easily agreed between buyer and seller. Our average timescale for exchange is 2 weeks.

The majority of our fastest and most successful sales have been when we have recommend a reputable solicitor, coupled with the effort we put into ushering information between parties and progressing the sale, time and stress is reduced. But hey, don’t take it from us, this is a testimonial from one of our clients whose property we completed on 2 weeks , he says” Four days after instruction, I got a cash bid, a week later we exchanged and four days after that we completed. It was that easy, incredible.”

CONTACT

2. GARETH JONES

Director of Queens Park Partnership 020 7328 2828; queensparkpartnership.co.uk Sales Manager at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Bayswater 020 7724 1222; kfh.co.uk

condition they expect it to be in.

The cost of the survey is normally of small significance in relation to the price of the property they are buying in Kensington and Chelsea.

It is not unusual for buyers to not have a survey on mansion flats, as usually the external issues are covered by the building as a whole and the cost is either covered by a reserve fund or split between the leaseholders.

Partner at Carter Jonas Holland Park 020 7471 9833; carterjonas.co.uk

4. WILL ALLEN

Partner at Strutt & Parker Kensington 020 7938 3666; struttandparker.com

5. VLADIMIR CANLAS

Director of Sandersons 020 7602 6725; sandersonslondon.co.uk

172 20/10/2014 15:32

✓ understand our clients’ needs ✓ extensive marketing knowledge ✓ apply our expertise ✓ provide the best possible service

it has to be…

020 7937 9777 www.rickmanproperties.com

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PROPERTY | DREAM HOMES

Property round up

Wyldes, Hampstead, NW3

ÂŁ3,650,000 Freehold

A magnificent family residence with generous gardens and outbuildings, adjoining the Heath Extension. Currently configured as five bedrooms with a gross internal floor area of 3857 sq ft. The property retains many stunning original features and is the former home of Sir Raymond Unwin, the prominent and influential designer of Hampstead Garden Suburb.

GRANT LEWIS

Sales Manager at Westways 020 7286 5757; westways.co.uk

The London Management Company provides both property and related lifestyle services to both private and corporate clients.

From finding the perfect home, investment or office through to managing a pied a terre, rental property or building we offer the services and advice required to extract the maximum value out of our clients property investment.

Second Floor Flat, Ladbroke Grove, W11 ÂŁ1,250,000

You breathe, we do the rest.

This charming one bedroom flat is situated within an attractive period building, set back from Ladbroke Grove. Superbly located in the heart of the Ladbroke Conservation area, the flat comprises a bright drawing room with fabulous west facing views overlooking communal gardens, a double bedroom plus changing room, kitchen, bathroom and private parking. The flat also benefits from access via immaculate communal areas and includes a share in the freehold.

JEREMY MONTAGU-WILLIAMS

Associate at Strutt & Parker 020 7221 1111; struttandparker.com

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20/10/2014 16:57

THE WORLD.indd 338-0241 TheWorld 2Spread 420x297.indd 1

15/09/2014 10:13

The sea is our home.

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MW, W14

£1,395,000

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t: 020 7602 6725

For Sale - A choice of two stylish 2 bedroom - 2 bathroom apartments in the heart of London. High-end specifications include oak herringbone flooring, heated bathroom walls, and delightful winter-gardens. Units benefit from dual aspect balconies, maximizing daylight and affording stunning views across London.

Merchant Square W2

Upper Addison Gardens £1,100,000

SALE AGREED

Sandersons have provided a first class job over the years, they have delivered beyond expectation, first with the letting of our flat and recently selling it. Impressed with their wealth of knowledge and breadth of experience gives them the edge over their competitors

£480,000

For Sale - Superbly located one bedroom flat in an attractive period building near Hyde Park. The property features a 20ft reception room and a modern fitted kitchen. Clanricarde Gardens is located moments from the restaurants, shops and bars of Notting Hill, Kensington High Street and Portobello, and open spaces of Hyde Park.

Clanricarde Gardens W2

£4,750,000

Offers in excess of £775,000

20/10/2014 18:18

www.sandersonslondon.co.uk

For Sale - A two bed- 2 bathroom apartment with large south facing terrace. The Ink building is a high specification development with lifts, a communal garden, bike parking, concierge service and CCTV. The area is well served by local transport is convenient to restaurants and bars along Portobello Road.

Ink building W10

For Sale - An outstanding five bedroom double fronted family residence offering 3122 sq ft of living space.

Arranged over five floors and benefiting from a self-contained flat on the lower ground floor this property is situated on a prime leafy road a short stroll from local amenities and stations. The property benefits from high ceilings, beautiful cornicing, wooden flooring and a wealth of elegant period features.

Westbourne Park Road W2

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AW, W11

£3,000 p/w

£700 p/w

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t: 020 7602 6725

To Let - A fabulous two bedroom apartment in a beautiful converted building just off Notting Hill Gate. This stunning flat boasts a generous reception room with high ceilings, large master bedroom with good wardrobe space, second bedroom with fitted storage, modern kitchen with appliances.

Linden Gardens W2

Holland Park

LET

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sandersons for their exceptional service, advice and swift response given over the years in the letting and management of our portfolio. In particular Karolina who has been exceptional and deserves the highest praise for her efficiency, patience and good humour.

£6,000 p/w

£750 p/w

To Let - Set within a Victorian building is this fantastic 1100 sq.ft, 2 bed garden flat. The property is well presented throughout and features a large reception room ideal for entertaining. Additional benefits include access to communal gardens.

Holland Park Gardens W11

£825 p/w

20/10/2014 18:18

www.sandersonslondon.co.uk

To Let - A lovely spacious and bright furnished first floor two double bedroom flat in period red brick building moments from Gloucester Road and South Kensington. The accommodation comprises a light spacious reception room with an open plan fully fitted kitchen, master bedroom with excellent built in wardrobes.

Brechin Place SW7

To Let - Superbly designed and elegantly presented, this magnificent penthouse apartment offers panoramic views of Kensington and the London skyline. Finished to an impeccable standard with high-quality furnishings and luxurious touches, this three bedroom apartment offers incredible lateral living space with and the added benefit with a steam room, hot tub and fitness facilities.

The Penthouse, South Kensington SW7

Abingdon Road, W8 £2,850 per week Fees Apply

Beautiful family home on one of the best streets in Kensington.

EPC=E. Four reception rooms, kitchen, five bedrooms, two bathrooms, two studies, patio and garden. Unfurnished.

020 7221 2277 abigail@mountgrageheritage.co.uk

Lexham Gardens, W8 £650 per week Fees Apply

A magnificent one bedroom apartment within this stucco-fronted period building close to Kensington High Street. EPC=G. Reception room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Furnished. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 petra@mountgrageheritage.co.uk

Cleveland Sq, W2 £1,595 per week Fees Apply

Simply stunning flat that has been recently refurbished to the highest standard. EPC=C. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Also available for short lets.

Furnished.

020 7221 2277 neha@mountgrageheritage.co.uk

Stanley Cres, W11 £675 per week Fees Apply

Pembridge Villas, W11 £960 per week Fees Apply

Fabulous fourth floor flat with lift in a beautiful period building.

EPC=C. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Unfurnished.

Simply stunning first floor apartment in an elegant period building in the heart of Notting Hill. EPC=D. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Furnished. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 petra@mountgrageheritage.co.uk

020 7221 2277 camilla@mountgrageheritage.co.uk

mountgrangeheritage.co.uk Bayswater 020 7402 0070

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Kensington 020 7937 9976

North Kensington 020 8960 0181

Notting Hill 020 7221 2277

17/10/2014 14:27

Bathurst Mews, W2 £725 per week Fees Apply

Fabulous mews property providing wonderful contemporary open-plan living space. EPC=D. Two reception rooms, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Unfurnished.

Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 neha@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Elgin Crescent, W11 £1,250 per week Fees Apply

Designed by a RIBA award winning architect, this extraordinary apartment over first and second floors offers exceptional entertaining space. EPC=C. Double reception room, kitchen, dining room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Also available for short lets. Furnished. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 camilla@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Oxford Gdns, W10 £1,350 per week Fees Apply

Delightful house which has been reconfigured to provide generous entertaining space. EPC=D. Double reception room, kitchen, dining room, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and garden. Unfurnished. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 petra@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Chepstow Villas, W11 £695 per week Fees Apply

Pembridge Villas, W11 £450 per week Fees Apply

Fabulous flat in this prestigious building in the very heart of Notting Hill. EPC=C. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Unfurnished. Sole Agents

Adorable house tucked away in the garden of a villa in the heart of Notting Hill. Very well laid out with oodles of charm and the most delightful sylvan outlook. EPC=E. Reception room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Furnished. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 camilla@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

020 7221 2277 abigail@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

mountgrangeheritage.co.uk Bayswater 020 7402 0070

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Kensington 020 7937 9976

North Kensington 020 8960 0181

Notting Hill 020 7221 2277

17/10/2014 14:27

Balliol Road, W10 £2,250,000 Freehold

An outstanding opportunity to acquire an unmodernised house with scope to extend in what is arguably the best street in the St Quintin Conservation Area. EPC=F. Double reception room, kitchen, four bedrooms, bathroom and garden. Sole Agents

020 8960 0181 michael@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Kensington Park Road, W11 £1,250,000 Leasehold

Stratford Road, W8 £1,250,000 Freehold

020 7221 2277 sam@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

020 7937 9976 chloe@mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

A purpose built apartment in this highly sought after portered block in the very heart of Notting Hill. EPC=D. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Sole Agents

A truly unique freehold property built in 1891 which was originally the gate house to Scarsdale Studios. EPC=F. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms and bathroom. Sole Agents

mountgrangeheritage.co.uk Bayswater 020 7402 0070

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Kensington 020 7937 9976

North Kensington 020 8960 0181

Notting Hill 020 7221 2277

17/10/2014 14:27

St Quintin Avenue, W10 ÂŁ1,700,000 Share of Freehold

A truly remarkable loft-style apartment with many appealing features including a double-height reception room, mezzanine study area and a unique turreted bedroom. This exceptional apartment is primarily on the first floor of a handsome period house in prime North Kensington and further benefits from its own ground floor entrance. St Quintin Avenue is an attractive tree-lined street located close to the Kensington Memorial Park and within easy reach of Portobello Road and Notting Hill. EPC=C. Reception room, kitchen, three bedrooms and bathroom. Sole Agents

020 8960 0181 michael@mountgrangerheritage.co.uk

mountgrangeheritage.co.uk Bayswater 020 7402 0070

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Kensington 020 7937 9976

North Kensington 020 8960 0181

Notting Hill 020 7221 2277

17/10/2014 14:28

Ruston Mews W11 £1,999,950 Freehold Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 | nhsales@dng.co.uk

Lexham Gardens W8 £1,950,000 Leasehold Kensington Gate Sales 020 7581 1152 | kengatesales@dng.co.uk North

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Chelsea

Fulham

A completely renovated and restored mews house, generous in size and spread over three floors. The property is set within a private and gated area and offers a private, off-street, parking space.

3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Shower room, Open-plan kitchen/ reception room, Off-street parking, Roof terrace, EPC: D.

A stunning and newly refurbished apartment on the second floor of a handsome stucco fronted property. The apartments' south-easterly facing drawing room offers high ceilings and fantastic natural light.

Master double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, Second double bedroom, Shower room, Reception room/dining room, Kitchen, EPC: D.

Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush

Kensington

Kensington Gate

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

17/10/2014 14:24

douglasandgordon.com

Queen's Gate Terrace SW7 ÂŁ1,525,000 Leasehold Kensington Gate Sales 020 7581 1152 | kengatesales@dng.co.uk

Colville Terrace W11 ÂŁ1,000,000 Share of Freehold Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 | nhsales@dng.co.uk South

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Balham

Battersea

Battersea Park

A well-proportioned apartment on the second floor of this imposing stucco fronted building. The property boasts an incredibly bright south-facing reception room with an ornamental balcony, high ceilings and an original fireplace.

2 double bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room/dining room, Kitchen, EPC: D.

A unique apartment set over the raised ground and lower ground floor of this attractive period building. The property offers wonderful open-plan living and is a perfect space for entertaining.

2 bedrooms, Bathroom, Shower room, Open-plan kitchen/reception room, EPC: C.

Clapham

East Putney

Southfields & Earlsfield

West Putney

17/10/2014 14:24

Queen's Gate Gardens SW7 £1,500 per week Fees apply Unfurnished Kensington Gate Lettings 020 7589 5252 | kengatelets@dng.co.uk

Palace Court W2 £1,200 per week Fees apply Furnished

A prestigious lateral flat with fantastic entertaining space leading on to the garden. The property offers a beautiful open-plan kitchen, dining area and reception room with wooden floors throughout.

3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en-suite), Reception room, Open-plan kitchen/dining room, Garden, EPC: E.

A beautifully refurbished first floor flat which has been finished to an extremely high standard. The flat is situated in this private courtyard with off-street parking.

2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en-suite), Reception room, Kitchen, Lift, Porter, Off-street parking, EPC: C.

Kensington Lettings 020 7792 1331 | kenlets@dng.co.uk North

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Chelsea

Fulham

Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush

Kensington

Kensington Gate

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

17/10/2014 14:24

douglasandgordon.com

Holland Park W11 ÂŁ1,000 per week Fees apply Unfurnished Kensington Lettings 020 7792 1331 | kenlets@dng.co.uk

Cornwall Gardens SW7 ÂŁ895 per week Fees apply Unfurnished Kensington Gate Lettings 020 7589 5252 | kengatelets@dng.co.uk South

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Balham

Battersea

Battersea Park

A stunning, spacious flat on this prime residential street in Holland Park. The flat is presented in excellent condition with wooden floors, high ceilings and a modern interior throughout.

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en-suite), Reception room, Eat-in kitchen, Cloakroom, Patio, EPC: E.

A fabulous apartment which has been newly decorated and benefits from a bay window overlooking the communal gardens. The huge master suite has built in storage and a large en-suite bathroom.

Master suite with en-suite shower room, Further double bedroom, Bathroom, Reception room, Communal gardens, EPC: C.

Clapham

East Putney

Southfields & Earlsfield

West Putney

15/10/2014 16:59

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